Journey
by Raphaella
Summary: Cid Highwind's adventure started when he joined Avalanche, finding action, friendship, and most surprising of all, love as a connection begins to grow between himself and Vincent Valentine. Follow Cid through FF7 game events and further on his road of discovery. Rating for Cid's language. Eventual Yaoi.
1. Prologue

**Journey**

**Prologue**

**Summary:** Cid Highwind's adventure started when he joined Avalanche, finding action, friendship, and most surprising of all, eventual love… The fic follows Cid through FF7 game events and further as the main character.

**Pairing**: Eventual Cid/Vincent

**Notes:** The prologue dialogue was almost completely taken from the FF7 script of the parts what were in the game. The rest I took my own liberties with. Anyway, enjoy.

/

With a loud slam and equally loud footsteps, a tempered, short-fused man entered his home from the back door entrance and stormed through the little hallway, into the spacey kitchen, trailing in a few tufts of garden grass that had clung to his boots. A shoelace tracked, untied, from under the hem of his cargo pants, flicking sharply with every jerk of a step. His edgy demeanor was almost visible in its intensity as he stood before the circular table, silent but not unheard. He seemed to regard the state of the kitchen with a distasteful scrutiny, but his gaze was beyond the walls of his home. His blue eyes were restless. He said nothing for a couple of seconds.

"Shera, I'm going to the rocket," he stated stridently, hands slung loosely on his hips as he chewed an unlit, battered cigarette.

Fixing a broken kettle that had in no way contributed to the simmering mood of its owner, Shera looked up from her task and observed the pilot. "Alright, Captain," she answered tentatively. He wasn't sporting the best mood, she could tell, so it would be wise to use a gentle tone.

He said nothing else as he strode to the front door on the other side of the kitchen, which he wrenched open and banged shut behind, leaving the room once again in silence. Shera's tinkering ceased as her brown eyes watched him through the window as he left the garden gate to swing shut on its own.

"I hope you get a second chance, Captain," she said softly.

/

The rocket was in perfect working order, as it had been for the past several years. None of Cid's tiny modifications and adjustments in the past had changed that, and neither did his current toying. He'd been over every inch of Rocket 26 that morning, a chore that was needless but necessary for Cid. He'd checked all the systems and all the machinery. It had taken him five hours. He'd even given the main hatch a good scrub. Dust and dirt had collected over the time the rocket had last moved, despite Cid's frequent visits.

Cid moved to the exposed circuitry on the entry deck, debating whether or not to encase them for aesthetic purposes. He then paused and stepped back, staring at them hard, realizing how much this visit could change his life. Rufus of Shinra could make his dreams come true.

Or he could ruin them.

Cid was no fool. He knew there was a spark of hope festering inside him, but he was wise not to rely on it. There was a much greater chance that the President's son would be visiting Rocket Town for matters not concerning the space program. But there was a chance he _was_. Had Cid believed that crossing his fingers would grant him his wish, he would be in knots.

The metallic THUNK of several boots on the decking flickered into his thoughts and pulled him back to reality. Cid turned around as three figures walked through the main hatch. He frowned in unwelcome irritation by the strange trio of guests, but paused. They were at first glance an odd group, but what drew his eyes weren't their strange appearances. It wasn't the weapons they boasted, or the mismatched bunch they were. It was the look in their eyes.

It was the space of a second, but that was all Cid needed as they approached. All three of the strangers were…different… but the one that stood out the most was the one who wasn't looking at him. No, he did look, just once. It was a quick, cold, calculating once-over that annoyed Cid for the entirety of half a second.

"What're you guys doin' here?" Cid questioned, jerking his head at the supposedly leader of the trio. He didn't want distractions, especially from people who weren't from his town.

The blond kid, probably late teens in age, had the look of someone who carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. Too much for someone that young. He fixed Cid with a pair of the bluest eyes the pilot had ever seen. They glowed with some unnatural energy, bright and vibrant, deep and intense. Cid was almost lost in their troubles.

"We heard the Captain was here…"

Cid huffed and folded his arms. "Captain? I'm the Captain." He looked from the young blond to the woman stood beside him. Like all men, the first thing his eyes fell to was a great set of tits. He quickly lifted his gaze to find a pretty but guarded face watching him curiously. Somehow, he knew she wasn't as fragile as her thin figure would have him think. "The name's Cid. Everyone calls me 'Captain', though. What d'yer want?"

The blond kid stepped curiously forward, his barriers dropping a little now he had found his target. "Tell me about this rocket," he asked curiously, gesturing faintly with a hand to the structure they were standing in.

Cid was mildly surprised for a second, and then he laughed, amused. He had the feeling this strange bunch of weirdoes had been asking around town and someone had mentioned his name. "Not bad for a kid," he said, and fixed Cloud with his own blue eyes. "Alright, I'll explain it yer." Cid ruffled the back of his own blond hair, trying to figure where to start and how. "You know Shinra developed a lot of technological gadgets durin' the meaningless war, right? Now it's a Mako company, but in the old days it was a weapons manufacturer…"

As the younger blond nodded in attention, Cid noticed the red-eyed man shift, his gaze seemingly more intense than when he walked in. Something he's said had caught those cold eyes' interest.

"Well, they came up with a rocket engine," the pilot continued, directing his eyes to nowhere in specific. "There was so much excitement about the thought of goin' into outer space…" He smiled vaguely, recalling some past memories and feelings. "Our dreams got bigger and bigger... They put a major budget into it and made prototype after prototype. Finally, they completed Shinra No. 26… They chose the best pilot in the Shinra – no – in the _world_: Me." Cid paused and turned to the wall, resting his forearm on the plating. He sighed. "And finally we get to the day of the launch. Everythin' was going well…" He stopped again, letting the quiet dominate the little hall as his memories bubbled back to the surface. As did the emotions. He lashed out and kicked the wall by way of anger, though it did nothing to curb his simmering resentment. "But because of that dumb-ass Shera, the launch got messed up. That's why they became so anal!" He turned back to the trio. "And so, Shinra nixed their outer space exploration plans… After they told me the future was space exploration, and got my damn hopes up… Damn them!" The pilot shook his head, his brow knitted together in a painful loss and bitter feelings. He looked away again. "It was all over once they found out that Mako energy was profitable. They didn't even so much _look_ at space exploration. Money! My dream was just a financial number for them!" He threw his arms up, looking at the hall around them. "Look at this busted rocket. I was supposed to be the first man into space with this." He lowered his gaze and shook his head again. "Every day it tilts a little more. At this rate I dunno which will come first, this thing falling down or me getting' outta here…" His shoulders slumped as the anger dwindled away. "My last hope is to talk to the President…"

"Is Rufus coming?" The kid asked.

Cid looked back at him, an energy in his eyes that wasn't there a minute ago. "Yeah. It must be news about restarting the space program. A young President. He must have dreams, too…" Cid swallowed to moisten his throat and looked over at the small group. He didn't miss that Rufus' name had sparked a strange interest from them.

The blond leader shifted his stance slightly as his vibrant eyes studied the Captain. "Can we… borrow the _Tiny_ _Bronco_?"

Cid frowned. He hadn't expected that. He recoiled irritably and shook his head. "You outta your fuckin' mind? That's my most cherished possession. I can't let you take it."

The blond kid faltered slightly, lowering his gaze as though he hadn't been expecting a denied request. He looked back at his fellow teammates, lips thinned in disappointment. The young woman tilted her head in response. However, instead of asking him again, the blond kid ordered them out, thanking Cid for his explanation. In a few seconds they were gone.

The Captain stared at the open hatch where they had disappeared, pondering on the odd bunch before turning back to his previous task. But now he had no desire to continue working on it. He pottered about for another few minutes, hoping that the crowd of thoughts in his head would dissipate or at least clear out into a more organized train. They didn't.

He kicked the plating again.

/

He found himself outside a few minutes later, gazing up at the bright blue sky from the walkway against the rocket. A large bird flew overhead, cawing once before disappearing into the forest that surrounded the town. Cid sighed, plucked out his cigarette and crushed it beneath his boot. He walked away from the sealed hatch of his rocket and climbed down the thick, metal ladders to the ground, dropping nimbly the last few steps. He made his way back into town, feeling slightly uneasy for some reason.

"Hey, Captain," one of the townspeople called. A middle-aged man with a jacket similar to Cid's. "Got some newcomers in the village."

"Yeah, I know," Cid answered. "Wanted to take the _Tiny Bronco_. Can you believe 'em?"

The man, who knew the value of the plane to the pilot, shook his head and smiled. "Not a chance..." He said, more to himself.

"Where'd they go? They leave?"

"No. I think Shera's entertaining them right now."

Cid merely huffed and dug his hands in his pockets, wishing the President would arrive soon. The waiting was sinking him lower and lower into a foul mood. He stormed to his house across the quaint streets and promptly kicked open the garden gate, making his way to the front door. He jerked it open and saw that Shera was indeed playing host to their guests. Except she was obviously doing it badly.

"Shera, what're you? Blind? We got guests – get some tea!"

The woman faltered under his volume and nodded. "I… I'm sorry." She turned around and busied herself with the task, clinking cups and utensils in her haste to mend her error.

From the corner of his eye Cid saw the blond kid shifted on his feet, and he met his striking blue gaze challengingly.

"Really… don't mind us," the kid said a little sardonically, his flawless face creased in the fairest of frowns at Cid's treatment towards Shera.

"Shut up," Cid waved his hands dismissively, in no mood to start arguing with him. He realized all three of his 'guests' were standing. "Sit yer asses down and drink yer goddamn tea." They had barely begun to move towards the table before the pilot growled and threw out his hands impatiently. "Damn, I'm pissed off," he spat suddenly, to no one but himself. He turned away from the table and made towards the hallway behind the dark, red-clad man, unable to stand still. "Shera, I'll be in the back yard tunin' up the _Tiny Bronco_," he announced, none too gently. "Make sure to serve 'em tea." He left them, exiting the kitchen by means of the backdoor into the garden.

Garden was too general a term for the plot of land behind his house. Being the town's everything-man had granted Cid with the privilege of extending his territory however far he wanted. He hadn't needed more than a couple of acres for his work, and thus the garden was actually more like an outdoor workshop or storage pen. Bits of planes, engines and all manner of machinery laid about in a seemingly chaotic order. But Cid had his system, and he knew where everything was.

"Fuckin' hate waiting," he grumbled to himself as he stormed over to his beloved plane, which sat patiently on her own at the end of the garden. He hoisted himself effortlessly into the pilot seat and flicked back a few switches, turning on the reading gauge. The board lit up and displayed a series of systems that Cid checked through, working silently and more calmly. He paused in his work for a second to wonder about the guests in his house. He wasn't usually as rude as he had been, and had it been any other day he would have welcomed newcomers into the town (provided they behaved, Cid hated troublemakers). But he doubted he was the only bad-tempered individual they'd encountered, so he wasn't exactly going to let it weigh on his conscience.

Sighing, Cid looked back at his house, feeling suddenly empty inside. This was his last chance to do something with his life… something big. He had no goal save for this. He felt like his very breath belonged to this day, and depending on the outcome, he could either regain it… or suffocate.

He jumped down more composedly to the ground and shoved his hands in his pockets, shuffling back to the door. He didn't know what to do with himself, hence his ever-moving position.

Once inside again, he moved towards the table, unwittingly catching the eyes of the dark, mysterious man leant against the far wall. They glinted a deep, rare crimson, and although Cid broke their gaze as he slouched into one of the kitchen table chairs, his mind remained focused on that pair of blood-red eyes. They seemed haunted and full of hate – two emotions that rarely resulted in good.

"Hurry up and sit down," he barked to the trio of weirdos still stood in his kitchen. "Or ain't my hospitality good enough for you?"

They slowly obeyed, hesitant to make him shout again, and he sensed more than saw (as he was staring intently at the kettle, willing it to boil) who sat where. The leader was seated opposite him, regarding him warily as the girl, he felt, swapped her eyes back and forth between them both. His new resident vampire remained standing, but had stepped away from the wall as though he had only been able to make it that far to a seat. Cid couldn't care less. Sitting still was not doing him any favors. Energy and anxiety boiled inside, and he was reminded how much he hated waiting.

"They're late," he grumbled, a little quieter than before and to no one in particular. "Where the hell is Rufus…?" He threw a foot onto the table and remained seething mildly in silence. No one said anything.

Thankfully, the tension was broken as the door opened, gaining everyone's attention, and causing the red-clad man to drop a hand readily to his thigh, where, Cid would notice later, a rather large gun was strapped.

"Hey-hey, long time no see," the newcomer sneered. He was a fat man, round but disdainful. His terrible sense of fashion did his shapely form no good, but he wasn't a man to worry about such things. "So, Cid, how've you been?" The man asked, with no discernable interest of Cid's wellbeing in his tone.

Cid hauled himself to his feet and planted his hands below his hips, throwing the man a glare. "Well, if it ain't fat-man Palmer," he growled. "How long were you figurin' on keepin' me waitin'?" He balled his hands loosely and strode up to Palmer, looking down on the slightly shorter man. "So? When's the space program gonna start up again?" Straight to the point.

Palmer shrugged, looking completely unaffected by Cid's irritable attitude. Either he was confident or just stupid. "I don't know. The President's outside, why don't you ask him?" There was a teasing air about his tone that pissed Cid off even more.

"Good for nothin' fat fuck," Cid griped as he pushed past Palmer and out the kitchen into the front garden. The door slammed behind him and he strode over to the gate. It was as he was kicking it open did he notice the streets had been cleared of anyone and everyone. This was because Rufus Shinra, the arrogant bastard, stood quite calmly and patiently outside Cid's home, waiting for the pilot to receive Palmer's message.

"Mr. Highwind," Rufus drawled, his face an image of bought confidence, wealth and something else Cid didn't like. "Long time. How have you been?"

Not one for pleasantries, Cid ignored that – being perhaps one of the few civilians left on the planet with the balls to do so. "You plannin' on startin' up the space program?" He enquired, and although he tried to omit it, there was a shining tone of hope in his voice.

Rufus inclined his chin slightly as he looked back at the pilot. "Whatever made you think that, Mr. Highwind?" Gone was the false politeness. He was mocking… he had known Cid would associate his visit with the space program.

Cid's heart took a nosedive into the raging ravine now churning inside him. He couldn't help his face falling either. "_That fact that yer here at all_," he answered loudly, regaining his attitude.

Rufus smiled in what Cid assumed to be apologetic, but this President obviously hadn't had time to perfect that particular mask. "You should not _assume_, Mr. Highwind…" He was playing with him for kicks.

Cid gritted his teeth and glared. "What the – you got my hopes up for nothin'? Then what the hell're yer here for?" He demanded, his temper quickly rising and his heart slowly breaking.

"I want to borrow the _Tiny Bronco_," Rufus explained, as though it was the most obvious reason for the President's arrival in Rocket Town. "We're going after Sephiroth, but it seems we've been going in the wrong direction… Now we have to cross the ocean, and we need your plane to do that."

Cid's slowly cracking heart suddenly jerked a little and a piece fell off. "Shit! First the airship, then the rocket, and now the _Tiny Bronco_? Shinra took space away from me, and now yer wanna take the _skies_ away, too?" He balled his fists, restraining the urge to blow up and knock some reasoning into the slightly younger man. His outbursts were exaggerated more so than normal today.

Rufus's blond eyebrows raised elegantly above his green eyes. "Oh my, you seem to forget it was because of Shinra Inc that you were able to fly in the first place."

"_What?_"

The President smiled again, and Cid realized it was the expression of someone who had and would always get their way. "Your exceptional skills as a pilot and plane engineer were all thanks to Shinra Inc. My father was very lenient in allowing you to keep the _Tiny Bronco_ after you constructed it, despite it and yourself belonging to Shinra."

"The _fuck?_" Cid was too angry by now to form intelligible sentences. It was a miracle he had not started a fight. The guards surrounding Rufus seemed to sense his building aggression and tensed visibly where they stood.

"I can ban you from the skies, Mr. Highwind," Rufus loosely clasped his hands behind his back. "Or you can lend me the _plane_," he added with a finality in his tone that suggested his latter option was actually his only choice.

For once the words were not there to shout. His heart – currently still in pieces – was beating frantically against his ribcage as he considered losing his beloved ship to the arrogant prick before him. 'Borrow' was not a term Shinra understood, and everyone knew the _Tiny Bronco_ would never be returned. It was easy to construct another plane, but the sentimental value of the _Tiny Bronco_ was too dear to Cid. His town understood – why couldn't Rufus?

"We'll be heading out to the Temple of Ancients," Rufus continued airily, as though he had secured the plane already, turning to his guards and about to order them to get it. Cid began to feel cold inside, knowing he could argue all he wanted, but he wasn't in a position to win anything here…

The sky was suddenly filled with the rapidly growing sounds of an engine, and Cid turned sharply to watch his plane rise from his back garden. Despite the surprise and despite the situation, he marveled by how she glided around against the bright blue sky and began to move towards his current position. Snapping himself from his trance, he glanced quickly at Rufus, who was open-mouthed in his hypnotic watch of the plane – as were all of his guards.

Cid ran. He estimated the plane's trajectory and sped up, acting on some spur of the moment impulse. Just as predicted it soared over his head like a huge bird of prey, casting him in shadow. He leapt, successfully gaining a hold of the tail, feet dangling as the plane ascended into the sky. Cid's heart was in his mouth, but the exhilaration of the sudden turn of events left him feeling incredibly energized.

A bullet whipped by his head. Cid's blue eyes found a small, smoking hole in the peach color of the plane's tail.

And then it _hailed_ bullets.

The pilot snapped his neck back to look. Shinra had ordered his guards to fire on the plane – a surge of hatred boiled through Cid's blood. It seemed if Rufus couldn't have the plane then no one could.

A bullet snapped at his hand – the abrupt sensation loosened his grip and he was almost wrenched from the plane by his one good hand. How he didn't get shot further was a miracle, but a second later something red fluttered over his head throwing him in shadow, obscuring the sun from view. He looked up in wonder to find the red-clad man reaching for him; his cape billowing madly from the air stream, overshadowing them like a looming monster about to strike. Cid jerked his injured hand back up and grabbed the man's wrist, ignoring the sting of pain. He prepared to claw his way up with the help of his plane-jacking helper, but he found himself being hauled onto the plane like he was nothing more than a rag doll. He stumbled only slightly, and blinked in surprise as he stared at the stranger. The man looked too thin to contain such strength, but the matter was quickly swept from his mind as a loud bang erupted. He turned sharply to find his plane smoking at the rear, and realized with a jolt that the bullets had tore off the tail wing, disrupting the planes aerodynamics.

"Shit!" Cid snarled. "The tail's been hit!" He yelled over the noise of the wind bombarding them.

"Emergency landing –" the blond kid shouted vaguely.

Cid anchored himself to the plane. "This's gonna be a big splash – hold on to yer pants and don't piss in 'em!"

Beside him, the red-clad man braced himself, and to Cid's further horror, sunk a gauntlet full of talons into his broken baby's body frame. His cry was lost under the explosion of water as they impacted painfully into the sea. Salty water flew up in a grand wall either side of them before dropping heavily and splashing the group with cold, white spray. Cid was thrown forward, as was the red-eyed man – who left agonizingly deep gouges in the paintwork (and his heart) as he went. The plane almost top-sided, but her lighter rear hadn't enough momentum to overthrow the front, and she flopped back into the sea, lulling in the affected waves.

The blond kid gathered his feet first before the girl. They flung the excess water from their hands and looked back at the land, gazing at the distant shape of Rocket Town. No one had followed them. They were safe for now.

Cid, feeling dried of all hope, having had more downfalls in the past ten minutes than he had in his life, remained lying on the wing of his plane, staring listlessly at the water mere inches from his face. He rubbed a gloved hand soothingly along the wing, wishing events could have turned out a little better, but glad that he at least still had her. He heard the others shifting about.

"She won't fly anymore," he said, surprised by how calm his tone was. He felt his damp clothes pressing onto his skin, but hadn't the energy to care. Would Rufus take away the sky from him? Would he be allowed to keep the _Tiny Bronco_ away from Shinra? He felt numb for a few seconds, blissfully numb as he stared at the shining water, reflecting the sun and his own blond hair.

"Can we use it as a boat?" The other blond asked, casting his unnaturally blue eyes to the land miles away.

"Do whatever you want."

There was a pause. "Cid, what are you going do now?"

He thought about it for a second, and realized there _was_ nothing for Cid to do now. "Dunno," he said lifelessly. "I'm history with Shinra now… and I've given up on the town."

The girl stepped a little closer. "What about your wife? What about Shera?"

Cid jerked his head negatively. "Wife? Don't make me laugh! Just thinkin' about marryin' her gives me the chills." He twisted and looked back at them, noticing the faint concern in their expressions. They actually seem to care about him. The red-clad man was sat with his back to them. No expression there. "What're you guys gonna do?" Cid asked, curious about the nature of their group. Why had they wanted the _Tiny Bronco_? "And who are you guys?"

The blond kid smiled a little, something that Cid figured was a rare feature on the younger man's face. "My name's Cloud." He looked at the girl beside him. "This is Tifa. And that – " he directed his eyes to the other man. "Is Vincent." Cid gave a nod of acknowledgment. "We're going after a man named Sephiroth."

Cid, like everyone, knew who and what Sephiroth was. "Rufus is, too," he explained as he got to his feet. The plane rocked slightly.

Cloud gave the slightest incline of his chin. "We'll get Rufus of the Shinra someday, too…"

Had Cid heard that statement yesterday he would have scoffed at such words. But there was something deadly serious about Cloud's tone. He was committed to something, and he would see it done. Somehow Cid knew this blond kid was quite capable of accomplishing that.

The Captain folded his arms loosely and regarded the man and woman with an indecisive look. "Well, I dunno about any of that, but… what the hell," he exclaimed, uncrossing his arms and giving them his charming, roguish grin. "Sign me up." There was an opportunity here for him, a new goal. Gone was his hope of Space, but in its stead was a journey… and something about it, hidden under the simple context, sparked his interest.

Cloud gave a nod and that glimmer of a smile. He looked over his shoulder. "How about it, everyone?"

Tifa smiled fully at him, placing her hands on her hips in an open expression. "Of course. Welcome to the team, Cid." She had a lovely, youthful voice that radiated warmth and friendship. More enthusiastic than that of her male friend.

Grateful for the acceptance, and glad for the new distraction, Cid's grin twitched wider and he glanced at the only silent member of the group.

As though he had sensed the gaze on his back, Vincent said, "Do whatever you wish." His tone was cold. He had a deep, whispery voice with no real emotion.

Glancing back to Cloud with questioning eyebrows raised, he dropped his attention of the silent man in favor of a more pressing matter. "So where're we headin'?" He shifted his weight casually onto one hip and folded his arms again. "Rufus was goin' after Sephiroth towards the Temple of the Ancients."

Cloud looked surprised. His eyebrows rose slightly above his large eyes in this important news. "The Temple of the Ancients? Where is it?"

Cid shrugged. "No clue, but Rufus was tellin' me he was headin' in the wrong direction."

The younger blond looked pensive for a moment, letting his vibrant blues eyes drift off focus. Cid wanted to ask about those eyes… Was he from Soldier? What about the red-eyed man… was he from Soldier, too? And why were his eyes _red_? Cid wasn't one to show interest in anyone, but he hadn't really encountered someone that piqued his interest as much before…

"Let's just get to land, and get some information," Cloud said after a second of silence. "We need to rendezvous with the others." He gazed at the land in the distance, busy in a train of thoughts.

Cid was about to ask him about 'the others' but Cloud spoke again, in a voice to no one in particular.

"Temple of Ancients… that name bothers me…"

/


	2. Mr Fuckin' Normal

**Journey**

/

_Three Days Later_

"200 gil for these things?" Yuffie exclaimed to the poor merchant behind his stall, who looked politely disgruntled and strained to maintain the smile on his thin lips. Between them on his stall of various items sat a collected group that the customer had picked out. "I'll give you a 120."

The man behind the stand stared at the girl as his bushy eyebrows rose behind his hat. "I'm sorry, miss, but I cannot go that _low_ for these items."

Cid turned away as the ninja girl began arguing further, shaking his head in amusement as the youth's tone rose in volume. He spared a second of half-heated sympathy for the vendor, as unbeknownst to him, Yuffie had more than likely applied her unique 'talents' to acquire her items and was simply putting on a show. In only a few days Cid had come to know what the little pest was like. He'd learnt his lesson after she had successfully stolen a materia from his person. She'd underestimated his awareness the second time, and had walked away with nothing save for an abused ear (metaphorically) and the promise of several threats.

Her voice and that of the irritated merchant faded as the pilot walked away. The village they had entered was small and offered little in the way of armory and weapons, but it did provide basic needs, which is what they were after. The group of Avalanche had been trekking across the west continent since they had accepted Cid into their numbers, and had come across only two little villages, including this one. Supplies had been running low, so the opportunity to restock wasn't to be missed.

Cid stuffed his hands in his pockets and directed his blue eyes to another occupied vendor. This one, however, had no problem trading money for items with Cloud, Tifa and Aerith, and as Cid was drawing nearer they finished their transaction and turned to him.

"Not much," Cloud said, indicating the items he had purchased. "But it'll do until we make it to the East Coast." He pocketed his remaining gil and packed his items into the little knapsack he carried. "Did you find what you needed?"

Cid made a faint expression. "They don't have a godsdamn weapons store," he answered dully. Since they had escaped Rufus in Rocket Town he had been without a weapon, having left his favored Venus Gospel in his home. Had he known his plane would have been hijacked he would have taken it with him that morning. Still, fighting monsters with bare fists was good enough. He found himself watching Tifa's expert techniques and trying to learn a few things. One day he'd ask her to teach him, but until then bleeding knuckles would be the norm until they came across a village with adequate stores. He disliked relying on his other team members to take down some of the more potent enemies, but it was what it was. Thankfully, his wallet was on his person at all times, so buying a new one wouldn't be a problem.

"The Inn's got plenty of room," came a deep voice. Barret appeared from behind them with Red XIII, and surprisingly enough, Cait Sith on his mog transportation. How Barret tolerated the robotic cat's company was a mystery. "Not like I was expectin' it to be full…"

"We can sleep in comfort, tonight," Red announced, looking up at them all from his lower stature. Against the bland canvas awnings of the potions store behind him, his brilliant red fur stood out like fire. Cid had grown used to him fairly quickly in the past few days.

A few specks of cold sensation hit Cid's checks and he turned his eyes skyward. The constant blanket of dull clouds had finally decided what it wanted to do. "We can sleep _dry_," the pilot said, shooting a smirk at Red. Having been sleeping in the wild in between villages, they had braved whatever weather fell over at night time.

The specks of rain came down visibly as the group made their way to the inn on the edge of the village. By the time they had stepped inside the large building a drizzle had started. Red's fire-tipped tail sizzled but never flickered. Cid wondered if it could ever be extinguished.

A squeal announced the rapid approach of their ninja companion, and from the miserable drizzle came Yuffie, dripping from her short exposure to the heavens. She cast the group a flat stare and shook the excess droplets from her hands and feet. Her own knapsack, Cid noticed, was bulging with items. Bought or thieved, he could guess the answer.

"It never rains that sudden in Wutai," she mumbled, walking away from the door to join the group. "I didn't finish my shopping."

Cid rolled his narrowed blue eyes and turned his attention to the inn's reception counter. The man behind smiled welcomingly as Cloud booked their rooms. He was an aging guy who looked more weathered than the rain outside. He almost blended into the tan and earth interior of the inn, with his sun-scathed skin and his neutral clothes.

"Our rooms contain three beds each," the man was explaining to Cloud.

"That's lucky," Barret murmured. "I didn't want Mr. Joyful sharing with us three."

Cloud shook his head slightly at the dark man, his blond spikes waving. "It's okay, Barret. Vincent can have his own room."

"Again?" Barret muttered, shifting his dark eyes to their corners. "It's an extra room to pay for. Can't he just hook his feet in the beams and hang on the lobby ceiling for the night?"

"Barret," Tifa chastised gently, frowning in soft disapproval.

Cid, however, couldn't suppress the chuckle that escaped him, but no one gave him any reprimanding looks. Since traveling with Avalanche, Cid had grown used to the quirks and understandings of the group. He had thought the first three members to meet him that day had been strange, but compared to the group as a whole, they were nothing. Cait Sith was by far one of the stranger members… if he could be rightly called a member. Cid was nothing but surprised when he was introduced to their robotic traveling companion. Apparently some mysterious person was behind his controls, guiding the cat along their journey. One thing was for sure, Cid had never heard an accent quite like Cait Sith's, so trying to judge where his 'owner' could possibly be from was a no-go. But, whatever, Cid was only interested so much.

"Three rooms," Cloud told the inn keeper, despite Barret's small complaint. The large man waved a dismissive hand, bothered little by their leader's decision.

"…good thing he'll have his own room," Cid heard Yuffie telling Aerith as they accepted their room key from Cloud and made their way to the hall on their left. "If he's out in this rain he'll probably smell like wet dog."

Apparently this joke was worthy of a giggle, as demonstrated by Aerith and Tifa as they disappeared. Cid shrugged the comment from his mind, but wondered why his teammates (and yes, he considered them his teammates) had on more than one occasion associated a small joke or two about Vincent and animals. And by teammates he meant Yuffie. Everyone else seemed to have a solemn respect about the topic of Vincent that piqued Cid's leveled curiosity. The gunman was by far the most mysterious of them all, even compared to Red. He never spoke unless asked a question, and his answer would be the shortest possible, as though speaking was a dislike. Cid had probably heard a total of seven words float out from behind that cape collar, in a deep, smooth voice that for some reason did and did not suit him. Cid had grown used to everyone in the group, he had gained a better knowledge of everyone's personalities and back story. Except Vincent's.

Minutes later found Cid jumping onto his chosen bed at the end of a line of three, hands behind his head and his ankles crossed. Barret threw his things on the bed next to him and disappeared into the bathroom as Red stretched up his front paws to the windowsill and gazed out the glass at the dreary rain. Cid glanced over as an inn staff member walked past their open door. It was a pleasant and quiet inn, and as Cid lay there and soaked in the peacefulness, he wondered how many more inns they would take shelter in, how many more forests they would cross and how many more people would join their abnormal group. He was glad he had gotten away from Rocket Town; it had been draining him, leading him year after year into a deep, black hole.

"Vincent's out there…" Red stated quietly from his vantage at the window.

Cid looked over to him, barely lifting his head from his hands. "You see 'im?"

The fiery hound gave a small shake. "I sense him…" He looked over his shoulder at the pilot. "You do not?"

Cid closed his eyes and shook his head. Red seemed to still be learning the limitations of human abilities, and the differences between them and… whatever _he_ was. "No."

Red regarded him for a few seconds, cocking his head inquisitively. "I'm surprised. Vincent has a strong scent."

"Can't say as I've ever smelt him," Cid muttered, hutching his knees up and throwing one over the other.

The hound looked back at the rainy view. Visibility was getting poorer and poorer. "I thought even humans could sense things that weren't normal."

Eyes still closed, Cid 'hmph'ed in amusement by Red's blunt way with words. "I suppose we're jus' ignorant creatures."

Barret reentered the room from the bathroom, releasing a cloud of warm steam. A towel around his shoulders and his shirt secured in the crook of an elbow, he made for the bed next to Cid's and slung his loose clothing on the neat sheets.

"What's so interestin'?" He asked, indicating Red's fascination with outside.

"Nothin'," Cid mumbled, suddenly craving a cigarette. When had he last smoked today?

Cloud, the last of their roomies, appeared from the hallway and closed the door behind him, putting his things down on the first bed. "I told the girls to be ready by 8.00am tomorrow morning," he said, kicking off his boots and setting down his sword. "We should reach the east coast by the end of the day." Cloud turned his vivid blue eyes on Cid's closed ones. "Right, Cid?"

"Yep." Pilot careers allowed for the opportunity to map and explore, meaning Cid probably knew the world better than anyone else in the group. He had come across many new and unknown locations during his flights, therefore his knowledge was invaluable to the team.

"It's a pity the plane couldn't get us a little bit closer," Barret said, laying down on his bed, crossing his feet.

"Water's wouldn't have taken her," Cid responded, eyes still closed.

The drumming of the rain increased noticeably in the silence following, pounding on the inn as though it was trying to pummel the building. Cid cracked an eye open and glanced out the window. The water was falling in sheets. The other buildings and stalls were mere shapes through the intense weather.

"It's gonna be a soggy walk tomorrow," Barret announced, kicking the bed sheets down, settling into the mattress and then wrenching them back over him.

"You going to sleep?" Cloud asked, mild surprise in his tone. It wasn't early, but it wasn't late, either. Despite the dark cast by the rain clouds, it would have still been light outside.

"Unless ya got some shitty board games in that knapsack I ain't got anything else to do," Barret answered, shoving one arm under his head. "By the way, where's that cat? He gone in with the girls?"

Cloud shrugged. "I think so. They've probably stuffed him in the closet again."

"Where the hell did yer pick up a character like that, anyway?" Cid asked. He knew little about their journey before he joined them.

"Gold Saucer, would ya believe," Barret mumbled, throwing him a look. "He just invited himself into the group after trying to play fortune teller. Weird cat."

"Probably felt at home with the rest of yer," Cid smirked, passing a sly glance over to Barret and Cloud.

"Says Mr. Fucking Normal," Barret retorted, grinning.

"I almost feel left out," Cid mused.

"Well _I've_ never met anyone with a mouth quite like yours," Red said from the window, his muzzle upturned into a humored smile. Occasionally Red disliked the amount of language from Cid, judging from some of his more subtle looks, but most times he simply accepted them as part of the pilot's nature.

"I guess that really does make me one of the gang, then," Cid replied, grinning at the red-furred hound. He had been part of Avalanche for only three days, but he felt as if he'd known them for years. They had accepted him easily, and he was surprised to find such different and odd characters still roaming the world. From his experience, strangers only brought misfortune and crime, but with this assortment of people he had learnt otherwise. It was also a nice refreshment to kick back and let someone else take the charge. Since he had entered his late teens, people had looked up to him, begun to follow him like a leader, and although he respected the fact that Rocket Town needed an authority figure, it had been tiresome and difficult at times. Cid couldn't really recall a previous mayor of Rocket Town. It had always been _his_ town.

Cloud disappeared shortly after to the welcoming prospect of a shower. With him momentarily out of the room, Barret sneakily stripped the blonde's mattress of its sheet and set it down for Red's makeshift bed. He then remade Cloud's bed to its former appearance and returned to his own, laughing quietly with the other two. _One_ of them had to give up something for the hound…

The daylight faded fast once 8.00pm had rolled around, and the rain continued. By this time, Cid was dying for a smoke. And Cloud was still in the bathroom.

"I thought the fuckin' rain would let off, but no luck there," Cid grumbled, swinging his legs off his bed and rummaging through his pockets for his packet of cigarettes. A second later he was heading for the door. "_Don't_ touch my bed."

The hallway was dark, but the light from the windows at the entrance provided enough illumination for Cid to follow it to the main doors. The inn keeper had probably gone to bed, leaving the counter empty with only the pounding of the rain for noise. The pilot pushed open the doors and stepped outside, greeted by a spray of fine water.

"Fuckin' hell…" Cid grumbled, shielding his face from the angled rain. Glancing to his left he noticed that the overhang ran around the side of the building.

It was much more sheltered around there than the entrance, allowing Cid to light up and enjoy his cigarette relatively dry. He leant back against the brickwork and exhaled leisurely, savoring the intake of nicotine. When did he try his first smoke? He couldn't remember. It was either before or during his early teens… probably when his mother had died…

The smoke fluttered and twitched as it disappeared, irritated by the draft from the rain. Splashes of water stained Cid's boots, but were unable to reach any further under the overhang. The blond let his gaze wander to the blanket of clouds obscuring the night sky. He loved star gazing, but it wasn't to be. There was not a single gap open to the heavens, from what he could tell through the wall of rain. But despite his thwarted sky-gazing, he found comfort in the sound of the rain. He had often stopped to listen when it poured, contemplating the view of the clouds from above rather than below. _One day_, he promised, taking another drag of his cigarette. _One day I'll look down on them._

When it wasn't hindering his work, Cid enjoyed the rain; listening and watching it by himself. There was a hypnotic quality in the pattern of the impacting droplets. His blue eyes watched hundreds of miniature ripples disturb the increasing puddles, almost lost in his own little world. He did, however, sense the new presence.

"Was beginnin' to think yer'd drowned," Cid muttered around his cigarette. He cast his eyes to the left.

The shadow stepped under the overhang hesitantly, a good distance from Cid. Water dripped from his bangs and shimmered on his leather even in the poor light. His cape, Cid noticed, fluttered eerily, seemingly weightless despite being saturated with water. What impacted most of Vincent's appearance were his eyes. As deep as blood, and glowing with mako. Cid hadn't much spoken with Vincent during his time with Avalanche, and had only a small impression of the man's personality. Beyond that, he knew nothing of him.

"You smoke?" Cid asked, offering his cigarette casually.

The silent man regarded him for a second before giving a single small shake of his head.

Cid hmph'ed and returned the smoke to his lips. "I guess _that's_ my specialty," he chuckled softly to himself. He appeared to be the only smoker in the group…unless Cait Sith confessed. Unlikely.

The pale, silent man said nothing. His crimson gaze fell from Cid's face to the rain pouring onto the ground before them, and for a few long seconds they shared the silence in an almost comfortable atmosphere. The pilot inhaled one last breath of nicotine before flicking it into the rain. He exhaled leisurely, blowing out wisps of twirling smoke. They both watched it writhe and twist until it faded from visibility.

"Your room key should be on the counter inside," Cid said, standing straight from the wall. "Beds ain't too comfy though. We're headin' out at 8.00am." He gave a casual salute. "See you in the morning, Vincent."

The gunner gave his slight nod. "Goodnight…"

/

The rain had ceased come dawn. However, the ground was waterlogged and soppy, large patches of water sat everywhere, reflecting the now clear blue sky. Every footstep was accompanied by a soggy splash, and before Avalanche had barely begun their journey anew, their calves were splattered with water and sludge.

"I wish we had that buggy," Aerith commented, glancing back over her shoulder at the speckled hem of her pink dress.

"Buggy?" Cid questioned around a fresh, morning cigarette. Red trotted along by his side, four legs splattering water on his fur and Cid's boots. Without a weapon, the hound had taken to trekking with the pilot, as a sort of loyal bodyguard. Cid didn't need it, but found the big furball's protection endearing.

"We commandeered a big buggy – " Yuffie began, with all the enthusiasm of an exaggerated storyteller.

"No we didn't," Barret argued, shooting the girl an exasperated look. "That chump Dio _gave_ it to us after he got us out of the Corel prison – and you weren't even there!"

Cid gave a loud laugh. "You guys got thrown in prison?"

"We were accused of massacre," Tifa explained, an air of grim in her tone. She glanced at Barret. "We were just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Aye, it was quite a serious situation," Cait Sith spoke up from his perch on top of his 'transport' The robotic cat apparently found it easier to keep up with his taller comrades riding a mog… A large, white, _robotic_ mog controlled by a _robotic_ cat. Cid couldn't express just how strange it all was. After their journey through the weather sodden forest, it wasn't a particularly clean white mog any more.

"It was all sorted out, though…" Barret muttered. A solemn expression flashed across his dark features.

The pilot observed his teammates, receiving the impression there was a deeper story that they didn't want to elaborate on. So be it, he wasn't going to pry. But he had been given a little more information about his party: Yuffie hadn't been with them for very long, either. From what he'd heard, Vincent had been the last one before himself to join the group, so it drew a curious interest about who exactly formed the original Avalanche party. Tifa apparently knew Cloud very well, as childhood friends, but Tifa knew Barret just as strongly, yet Cloud and Barret didn't give the impression of long-time buddies. Since Cloud was the guy everyone followed, it would make sense he was the original leader, but Cid wasn't too sure.

"Yuffie – ya better stop stealin' my materia!" Barret growled, pulling Cid from his thoughts. The large, bulky man was wrenching back his hand, in which he gripped a glowing yellow orb, from the girl. She jerked from his grasp, danced away and stuck out her tongue. Immature and annoying. "I thought we told you about that!" Barret glared at her.

"I was just messing," she retorted, falling in step behind Aeirth, away from the tallest of their group. The older girl gave a quirky smile at her antics.

Cid shook his head, stepping over a large rock in his path, thoughts falling on the brunette. Aerith seemed to have a thing for Cloud, but judging from their behaviors around each other they hadn't been flirting for long. If Cid remembered rightly, he could recall a conversation in which it was revealed Aerith had come from Midgar slums. Apparently there were flowers there. Cid had seen the slums once, he couldn't quite imagine flowers growing in that shithole. But then, he couldn't image someone as pure as Aerith living down there.

"You'd better keep an eye on our gil, Cloud," Barret called over to the blond. "With ninja girl stealin' every fuckin' thing and him – " he jerked his head to Vincent, who was following at the end of their trek " – needin' his own room, we ain't gonna have anythin' left."

"Heeeey…" Yuffie complained.

Cloud allowed a small smile. "Don't worry. I've got it covered. Besides… the inn keeper gave me the money back for that room." At Barret's questioning frown, Cloud said, "It wasn't used."

"Whaaaat?" Yuffie questioned in surprise, turning around to look at their silent member of the group. "Didn't you sleep?" She paused. "_Do_ you sleep?"

"Yuffie…" Aerith chastised softly.

The pale man said nothing, turning his gaze away to the forest on either side of them. Cid glanced back at him, wondering what he had done all night. _"Do you sleep?"_ There was some serious curiosity in the way Yuffie had asked, and it made Cid wonder. True, he was a mystery, but there was a strange aura around the man. Just like Red had said.

"What? I've never seen him sleep," Yuffie argued, trudging along in the puddles. "Even when we were camping."

"Now that's a big fat lie," Barret muttered, a dark eyebrow raised as he exchanged looks with Tifa.

Yuffie looked confused for a second. "Huh? Oh – yeah!… I _have_ seen you sleep," she said behind her shoulder, a smug smile on her face.

Vincent stared hard at the scenery, and for once Cid could sense an emotion from him. Discomfort.

"Hey, ninja brat," the pilot called to her. "I thought I saw somethin' shiny in the forest over there," he pointed away to her right. "Looked kinda like materia…"

Considering the possibility of a trick, she glanced from the oldest blond to the dense forest. "Hmm, I better check it out," she said, and quick as a flash she had disappeared into the growth. Cid had to admit, she was fast. If only she put her skills to better use.

Barret threw the pilot a look. "There's still the problem when she comes back."

Red, who shook his head in either amusement or not, pulled away from Cid's side. "I will accompany her. It is best if we do not get preyed upon out here." He turned and bounded nimbly into the trees, fire-tipped tail disappearing behind the growth.

"We ain't far from the coast, so it's only a little further," Cid announced, plucking out his cigarette. "I fuckin' miss my tea, though."

"I bet Shera doesn't miss making it," Tifa said wryly, sliding a glance over to the pilot.

"Shit," Cid cursed. "It ain't like I'm a slave driver. I make my own damn tea most times."

"I thought you'd be a beer man," Cait Sith said musingly, tilting his little cat head to the side. His tail bobbed with every step the mog took.

Cid gave a single-shoulder shrug. "I wouldn't say no to a beer."

"Mmm, milkshakes were my favorite drink," Tifa added, looking thoughtfully at the sky as she clasped her hands behind her back as she walked. "Fresh milkshakes are so hard to come by in the slums. They always have that power-based stuff." She glanced over at Aerith. "What about you?"

Aerith beamed. "Milkshakes." The girls shared a giggle.

"All this talk about drinks is makin' me thirsty, so let's change the topic," Barret said.

"How about food?" Aerith offered, a mischievous twinkle in her green eyes. The dark man groaned.

"What if I tell everyone's fortune?" Cait Sith offered brightly, bouncing on top of his transport.

Aerith turned around, walking backwards as she faced their robotic companion. "Would you tell mine? You didn't get to at Gold Saucer."

"This should be fun," Cid said to himself, smirking around his cigarette as he glanced back and watched.

"What would ye like to know, lassie?"

"Hmm… something about my future. Where I'll be in a year's time."

"Okay then! Here we go –"

Cid stepped closer to the nearest person. "What the hell is he doin'?"

Cloud smiled. He hadn't even looked behind at Cait Sith's antics. "I suppose you could call it his fortune dance."

"Here ye go, Aerith, what does it say?"

"It reads 'Your –'"

"_Something's_ _coming_."

Aerith paused and looked up from her slip of paper. Everyone shifted their gazes to Vincent. His hand had fallen to the large gun on his thigh and his red eyes were drifting slowly through the trees around them… as though watching something. The rest of the group stopped immediately and drew their weapons. Aerith's fortune fluttered down to the wet ground. Cid, having no weapon, altered his stance and fisted his hands loosely, straining his ears to detect what Vincent had.

He heard nothing. It was silent.

Vincent suddenly broke into motion, whirling around, bringing his gun from its holster. His cape seemed to flare around him, twisting like a sea of blood. From the other side of the group Cid watched, witnessing what he could only describe as surreal slow motion. Something huge leapt from the dense forest, soaring clear over Vincent and Cait Sith. Time sped back up like a flick of a switch, and the monster landed heavily with a thud loud enough to vibrate the ground they stood upon. Three bullet wounds had already ripped into the flesh on one shoulder, trickling thick, dark blood. Cid hadn't even registered the gunshot.

The wound appeared to bother it little as the huge monster swung a mighty arm, bowling over Cait Sith and his mog into the mud. Barret had opened fire as soon as he'd gained a clear shot, but the bullets did little more than anger the colossus monster as it turned on him, shielding its face from the onslaught of bullets. Cid cursed, the thing had skin as strong as armor – no wonder the two gunmen couldn't damage it.

The bullets ceased as Cloud came down on it from above, swinging his full force into his blade. The monster howled as the sword tore into its neck, a vulnerable joint between its rock-like skin. It slashed a giant claw at the blond, who leapt easily from harms way, leaving its back open to Aerith who followed Cloud's suit. With an impressive dive she thrust her lance into its fleshy throat and twisted away before it could return an attack. It spun, bellowing in rage and pain as its pair of beady dark eyes locked onto the flower girl.

A smaller growl sounded from behind Cid, announcing Red's return. He leapt from a dirt bank and flew clear over the pilot, who watched his flight in momentary distraction. Red landed nimbly on the monster, attacking from its back as Cid watched Avalanche fight. They worked in cohesion, knowing where and how each other fought. It was a marvel to watch, and in all but a second Cid snapped himself from his thoughts and dashed into the battle, lending Aerith extra muscle to drive her lance deep into the monster's neck.

Blood spurted from the entry point like a gruesome fountain and the creature roared in agony. What it had thought was easy prey would turn out to be its doom. In a late attempt to flee, it gained momentum and charged at the closest opening.

Vincent, in the direct path of the oncoming monster, stood calmly and aimed. Before anyone could shout a warning he fired and the monster collapsed, rolling limply as three bullets exploded in the small vulnerable gap of its armor. Blood pooled from its neck as it groaned one last breath. A second later it was dead.

"Nice shot, Vincent," Yuffie praised. She must have returned with Red, having heard the commotion. Cid found it funny that the monster would prey on the group with greater numbers than the two wandering around on their own.

Vincent lowered his triple barreled gun and stared at the monster. Something akin to anger flickered in his eyes. "I should have killed it first blow…" He said darkly, quietly, as he slotted his weapon into the holster.

"Chill, at least ya got it," Barret told him, waving a dismissive hand at the man's seemingly gloomy nature.

Cid sighed and they continued walking again, reforming their group. "I need a fuckin' weapon. I'm getting no action."

"I don't have a weapon and I get along," Tifa chirped, smiling at him.

"Damn, Tif, you've got fists of steel," Cid said. "You don't _need_ a weapon."

She laughed, throwing her head back a little. Cid chuckled, enjoying the feeling of acceptance in the group. Honestly, he could quite easily call these people friends.

/


	3. Weirdest Bunch

**Journey**

/

The Weapons maker was a well built man, with a strong voice and a no-nonsense attitude. He was, however, reasonable when it came to information and his trade. His cottage was sat on the West continent's east coast, on a small peninsula. The view from the front door was spectacular.

As Avalanche trudged up to the building, with dried dirt marring their heels, an easterly wind picked up their clothes, delivering the salty smell of the ocean to their senses.

Aerith restrained her hair as she observed the vast horizon, marveling at the beauty while her friends passed into the shop. Vincent, the ever-quiet man, paused and glanced at the ocean scenery across the peninsula, sharing the moment with the young girl for a second before turning and following the group into the cottage. Aerith smiled at him, gave the gorgeous view another glance and followed his billowing cape inside.

"Another customer?" Came a voice. Everyone looked as one to the man walking down the single set of stairs leading down from an interior balcony. "You sure picked an out of the way place… but if it's the Keystone you're looking for, you're too late. I don't have it." He came to a stop at the foot of the stairs, and cast his small dark eyes around at the group. A curious frown crinkled his brow, but they had become accustomed to such looks. "Well…ain't you guys a strange bunch." He caught sight of Red. "Whoa, hey, I don't want your pet crapping on my floor. Take him outside."

Cid laughed as Red's muzzle wrinkled indignantly. "I won't be of any bother, I assure you," the fire-furred hound muttered.

Startled, the weapons maker recoiled a little, his eyes wide. "Well I'll be damned!"

Cloud stepped forward to gain attention. "You mentioned a Keystone. What's that?"

The man stared at Red for a second more before tearing his gaze away onto the youngest blond of the group. He fixed Cloud with a frown. "You didn't come here for the Keystone?" The answer he received was silence. "Huh… I'd had it for years. It's supposed to be a legendary key that unlocks the gate to some temple or something." He slung an arm over the stairs banister and crossed a leg casually. "Uh, Temple of… Temple of the Ancients – that was it. Dunno what that is, though."

"Temple of the Ancients," Cloud repeated, exchanging looks with those next to him.

The weapons maker had left his perch and had pushed past Barret to fiddle with something on top of a chest of draws, ignoring his guests.

"Where's this Keystone?" Cloud asked, stepping closer to him.

"I sold it," the man replied without turning around. "But, to tell you the truth, I didn't want to. This guy just had a way about him, like it wasn't a good idea _not_ to sell it to him…"

"Who was this guy?" Barret asked. "Who did you sell it to?"

"The manager of Gold Saucer. I think his name was Dio. Said he was going to put it in his museum. Suppose it's better there than hidden away here…"

"Do you know where this Temple is?" Aerith asked, stepping beside Cloud.

The weapons maker made a face and cocked his head. "It's only a _legend_," he told her. "But it sure would be something…" He was quiet for a second, as though thinking of something sudden. "I've never heard of where the Temple could be, but I heard it contains something called Ultimate Destruction Magic. Just some little tale I heard years ago." He studied all their expressions as they swapped looks. "Come on, don't take it seriously!"

Cloud finally looked back at him and gave a short nod. "Well, thanks anyway."

Cid stepped forward, having been eyeing all the various weapons. "You make all these yerself?"

"Yep," the man said proudly, glad for the change of topic. "But lately I haven't had the materials to make more."

"Well, I'm looking to re-equip myself," Cid said, craning his neck to look up at the weapons displayed on the mezzanine.

The rest of the group trudged back out the door, assuring Cid they'd wait for him outside. The pilot nodded without looking, and as everyone filed out, he began to climb the stairs to the small walkway above, inspecting the weapons on the walls. As he reached the end of the balcony he noticed as he glanced down that Vincent had remained inside, glancing at a few projectile weapons. For a second Cid stared. From his higher level, he could almost see what the man's face looked like behind that high cape collar…

"I have a range of bo staffs and lances," the weapons maker said quite suddenly behind Cid. "You look about… 5'8? Lemme see what I can find for you."

"Thanks," Cid mumbled, watching the man lifting a few lances down from their wall-hooks. The pilot's blue eyes flickered down at Vincent again to find the gunman's back to him as he moved around the corner out of view. Maybe some things were better left unknown.

/

After acquiring a suitably adequate spear from the weapons maker, Cid and Vincent joined the rest of the group. They had been relaxing outside on the grass, taking a lazy break as they broke out a few water canteens and a couple of rations.

"Finally got me a weapon," Cid announced, spinning his newly bought spear. He pinned it to his back and looked at Cloud. "What's happenin' now, then?"

"We're heading back to Gold Saucer," the younger blond replied. "Maybe we can get that Keystone."

"At least we know that bastard, Rufus, needs it too," Cid said.

"Question is," Tifa said, getting to her feet. "Does he know about it?"

"Hopefully not," Barret responded.

"Then let's make our way to Gold Saucer quickly," Tifa looked to Cloud. He nodded.

They resumed their journey from the weapon maker's cottage, heading west along the river. Hopefully there would be some form of transport to ferry them across the wide waterway that lay before them. If not, they were in for a long trek inland, through the mountains and over the narrowest point of the river. Cid couldn't recall a boating service, so it was likely they would have to pass over the river via the highlands.

Cid had never really taken such long journeys on foot before. Not ones that lasted days and had no end in sight. But he had trekked plenty to and from his town. He was proud to admit his fitness level was well above the average Shinra employee thanks to his years in service and as a tinkering engineer.

"Cid…" Red called softly, by the pilot's side despite him now armed. "What's it like to fly?"

Smiling at the hound's curiosity, Cid looked straight as he tried to find the best words to describe his most treasured experience. "The best feelin' yer'll ever know," he answered honestly. "Soarin' through the clouds, the bright blue skies… Yer'll never forget it." He gazed up, recalling that distinct rush he felt when flying, speeding in the air like no one could on land. "Maybe one day I can take you flyin'…" He trailed off, realizing that he himself didn't have that ability any more. "After I build another fuckin' plane."

"I would like that very much," Red raised his muzzle and smiled at the Captain.

Cid grinned and turned his blues eyes skywards once again. His love for the skies was so strong, it wouldn't be long before he was back up there. However long this journey would take him would be the delay of his reunion with the clouds. For once he looked forward to returning to Rocket Town, so he could begin work on a new aircraft. Shera would help, as would the towns people, but it would be _his_ project. His baby.

As they walked on Cid continued to explain the sensation of flying, the heights that no one could dream of climbing to, the heights he experienced time and time again. Red was fascinated, and Cid knew he had more than one ear of interest.

Their travels took a momentary break when the sun, at its highest point in the sky, became too much for the exposed group. Hot and sweating, they took shelter amongst a large structure of rocks half buried under earth and trees. Sunlight dappled the floor around, breaking through the leaves. It had been some hours since they had left the weapon maker's cottage, so the rest was welcomed.

"How many full canteens we got?" Barret asked, pulling out his own two.

They made a quick count. Between the nine of them (eight that could actually drink), they had but only three full water bottles. Luckily, they had passed a small fresh spring on their path around twenty minutes ago.

"I'll go," Cid said, taking a long, last puff on his second cigarette of the day before tossing it to the floor and crushing it out. "I have too much energy, I don't need a break."

Aerith tutted. "Cid, you're littering with your cigarette ends."

The pilot glanced down at the offending object. Aerith was a woman who loved all things pretty and appreciated nature. He supposed she had a point. "Eh…"

"Here." She rummaged through the knapsack she and Tifa shared and produced a tissue. "Fold them in this when you put them out. That way you won't be leaving them on the ground."

He took the tissue from her slim hand and did just as she instructed, putting the folded tissue into a pocket on his jacket, of which was tied around his waist due to the heat. "There," he nodded at the girl. She beamed back. "Alright," Cid collected the canteens. "Anyone comin' with me? Except Yuffie."

"Hey!"

"We could all do with a rest," Tifa said, settling herself down on her knees in the cool shade of a hollowed stone boulder. "So if you want to wait a few minutes I could go with you. We should move about in pairs, anyway."

Cid scuffed the back of his hair. It was damp with sweat but otherwise he felt fine. "Well, if you guys finish off the rest of those water canteens I can refill 'em all… so I guess I can wait." He glanced around. "Where's 'tall, dark and scary' gone?"

They all looked around for their missing, mysterious companion (Cid would admit, calling him a friend would be too presumptuous), but the fluttering red cape was nowhere. Barret shrugged and slid down the uneven wall of the boulder next to Tifa.

"He of all people should need some shade," Red lifted his head from his paws, having laid down to cool off. "He is clad in more restricting clothing than I am fur."

"Maybe he doesn't need rest, like he doesn't need sleep," Cait Sith suggested, bounding down from his giant mog to the earth floor. His real height was probably only two foot tall.

"Perhaps you should go and find him," Aerith said to the pilot from the shade of the trees, looking a little concerned. "We should all be in pairs, remember? Even Vincent…"

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Barret said dismissively, eyes closed as he leant back against the cool rock. "I doubt any monster would want to attack him."

Cid assumed there was a vampire joke underlying Barret's words, but still, he stared carefully at everyone's casual demeanors. Aside from Aerith's, there was little concern among them. "I'll go find him." Cid announced, turning on his heel. He left the rocky shelter and backtracked along the path they had come from. A few minutes later, having lost all sight and sound of their little camp area, the pilot stopped. Vincent wouldn't be stood on the trodden path. He was most likely somewhere close by the camp, but deeper into the wild, away from the trail. Monsters would dwell there, and while he was still a mystery, Cid knew that when the rest of the group relaxed Vincent was keeping guard.

He should have suspected that he wouldn't find Vincent. The man had a way with him. If he didn't want to be found, he wouldn't, and in a place unknown and as vast as the wilderness, it wasn't that difficult a task.

But Vincent found _him_.

Cid had strayed off from the rough pathway of rocks and shrubs, trees and earth, pushing his way through the edges of a small, spacey forest. He trod silently, but he was no master of disguise, which was probably how Vincent managed to find him first.

"Do you _float_, or somethin'?" Cid questioned, turning around in the small clearing of trees. Behind him was the man he had been searching for. His expression, his appearance, none of it had changed despite the heat and despite the network of branches, the hundreds of leaves and the many cobwebs. How he had approached Cid in absolute silence was one of those little mysteries he would probably never uncover. And the gunman wore clinking metal, for crying out loud!

Vincent said nothing. His strange red eyes seem to study Cid coolly, as though he was not sure why the man was there. After a second he blinked slowly and turned away his gaze.

"We need to refill at the spring we passed," Cid said, dismissing the man's cold nature. He turned and headed back in the direction of the path. From there he would find the small stream. "You comin'?"

Pausing, the gunman watched the pilot as though considering his best options. Finally, he began to follow.

They found the little stream leading up to the spring about fifteen minutes alter, after backtracking to the path. It trickled pleasantly among long, rich green grass, reflecting the water brightly. Cid smiled around a third cigarette. Even he could appreciate the beauty of nature. He did, after all, have an affinity for the sky.

The stream was partially shaded, boasting crystal clear water, smooth, sparkling stones and the relaxing sound of lapping water. Cid stomped out his cigarette before taking out the tissue he had pledged minutes ago to use. He wrapped the stick up and stuffed it back in his pocket. After catching sight of Vincent watching him, he let a wry smile pull at his rugged face.

"Aerith's idea," he explained simply, before taking out the group's canteens, tied or secured in various places on his person. "Sit down, have a break," he told the gunman, dipping the first of the empty flasks into the running water as he himself dropped onto his backside by the stream. The silent man didn't move. When Cid had refilled the first canteen, he held it out and offered it to his companion. "Unless yer've got hidden compartments in that cape, yer don't appear to have any water on yer."

To the offered canteen, Vincent shook his head, momentarily closing those crimson eyes. When they reopened, the water was still held out to him, and the pilot's face was nothing but determined. Blond eyebrows were set above a pair of piecing blue eyes.

"In that getup, if yer don't drink, yer collapse. And I'll be damned if I'm carrying yer lanky ass to the next village."

In yet another long pause, Cid was beginning to think the man would just stare at him all day. He was about to lower his hand when Vincent reached out with his left – and then stopped. His gauntlet glinted in the sunlight, talons razor sharp. Cid had never really got a good look at it, but during the brief second it was exposed, he realized… it was a _sharp_ weapon. Vincent stared at it, and an expression of unreadable nature flashed across those eyes. The claw was retracted back into the depths of his cape and the canteen was snatched from Cid's hand by Vincent's right one.

Curbing a few bubbling obscenities, the pilot made a face and turned back to the stream, but Vincent's actions left Cid curious…

/

They returned to the group with full canteens almost an hour later, having taken their own rest by the spring. Vincent was a terrible conversation partner, but thankfully Cid had wanted neither talk nor attention, and for that Vincent was the perfect companion. While he was thankful for his silence, Cid wished the man wasn't so… mysterious. The Captain had never been one to find other people interesting, in fact, he disliked those that were _too_ interesting. But he had never wanted to ask so many questions to one man before. Why? He didn't know. He had met men like Vincent before. Quiet, sullen, hidden away. But what they didn't have was the dark, dangerous aura that surrounded the gunman. Something abnormal, something terrible… Why was someone like Vincent taking this journey with the rest of them? Cid was good at restraining his curiosity, but he wished it wasn't there.

They set off once again, all nine party members. Refreshed and cooled. The sun was still high, but there were clouds drifting across from the distance, providing potential cover from the sun's hot rays.

It wasn't long after they had set off when they were attacked. Vincent sensed their approach first. Again. He alerted the group and drew his weapon, but couldn't seem to decide where to point his gun.

"Vincent…?" Cloud asked, questioning the man's constantly changing aim. His own weapon was gripped securely in his fists, poised and ready to use.

Before he could respond, either vocally or in action, Vincent spun around as a figure flew from the bushes. At the exact same time several more shot out from around the entire group – they had been surrounded.

Yuffie yelled as she blocked an attack, falling to the ground. Cid twisted, his spear already in hand. He leapt over another monster that had darted from the bush – a quick, blur of a figure – but before he could reach the young ninja something bowled into him from behind, sending him careering into the bushes – straight down a muddy, leaf-carpeted drop. Cid fell, hitting rocks, stones and tree roots as he rolled. It was over before he could fully register what had happened, but his body began acting on its own. He was on his unsteady feet in a matter of seconds, weapon still gripped in hand. A dull pain throbbed at his elbow, becoming stronger and stronger as his mind became clearer. Something wet ran down his arm.

But he had no time to assess his injuries. Surrounding him were at least six three-foot high quadrupeds. Barred fangs and unsheathed claws flashed across his vision as he fought them from tearing open his throat. He jumped to action automatically, attacking with the fighting skills he possessed. The restricting location caused him some problems, as a forest would to a six-foot piece of wood, but he adapted as best as he could.

"Fuck – yer bastards," he grunted as something tore at his injured arm, having leapt through his defenses. Cid was an excellent fighter, but the situation was against him. He was outnumbered by fast little fuckers, and injured on top of that. However, he would be ashamed to show his face if he didn't kill his own share of monsters. The rest of the group must have their hands full. These four-legged creatures hunted in packs of up to twenty. There was no telling how many were mauling his friends (and companion).

Digging his pole into the earth, Cid swung into the air, kicking a couple of attacking enemies. They yelped from the force and fell heavily into a heap. Before they could get to their feet, the other end of Cid's spear had sliced through them, killing them instantly.

Turning back to the others, the pilot advanced on them. But even more joined the fray. They had singled out a potential straggler, now they would bring him down.

"Argh –" A pair of jaws clamped onto his shoulder, having been aiming for his throat. He flung the monster and rolled, evading several jumps. His shirt had been ripped and blood began saturating the dark material. His white scarf had been ripped from his neck long ago. He probably looked pretty bad, but he had plenty of fight left in him.

He dodged and blocked, attacked and charged. It seemed when one went down two more replaced them, probably leaving the fight above to help finish the one below. Half of them would have to occupy the greater numbers while the others would take down their singled out prey.

Something larger flew from above with incredible speed, landing outside of the battle.

"Get down!"

A loud, ear-shattering shot vibrated the air and the creature lunging for Cid exploded in a spray of blood as the pilot obeyed the voice. Another flew at him, attacking from the other side , but jerked as a triplet of bullets shredded its body. It fell limply to the ground.

By now most of those attacking Cid turned direction and instead went for the other man. But they stopped. They _halted_ in their advance, growling and snarling and even whimpering at him. Cid, slack jawed, raised his eyes to find Vincent perched between two split tree trunks, reloading his gun. His red eyes flashed as they darted to the creatures before him, and for one time-stopping second everything paused.

And then the creatures spurred back into motion, diving at the gunman. Two were shot down in midair almost as soon as the click of the chambers sounded. Cid regained his motor functions as well, knocking down another monster and finishing it off almost at the same time. In what seemed like a split second Vincent was beside him, aiming at the confused animals still chasing the ghost of his cape several meters away. Cid caught a flash of red eyes.

"Behind you –"

Pain erupted from Cid's good arm as something cold and metallic clamped down and spun him from harms way. Blood flew through the air, clinging to the golden talons of Vincent's claw. Cid stumbled and watched dumbfounded as the gunman moved. He wasn't normal, Cid realized right then and there. Somehow, the man _shifted_. He flew, he glided and – Cid swore – he teleported. One second the man was there, and then the next he wasn't.

None of the monsters seemed bothered with Cid now. In fact, only three remained standing. They bayed into the air – high, horrible animal noises – calling for their pack, and then took off into the forest, without victory. When the last of them had gone, the air was quiet once again. Distant sounds of the others met his ears, and the pilot wondered vaguely how far away they were.

Vincent fell to his knees. Cid approached him, ignoring the agony of his injuries and the increase in blood flowing from them.

"You okay?" He almost reached out for the man, but something inside stopped him.

The gunman got back up unsteadily, his hands rose to his face, hovering, his eyes flickering open and shut. Something was wrong with him, Cid realized. Had he banged his head? His body was shaking slightly.

Vincent suddenly grabbed his head, grunting in what Cid could only guess as pain – but almost immediately wrenched them away, looking at the blood on his claws. Cid's blood… And his own.

"Shit," Cid said softly, "look what yer did."

Four jagged red gashes marred what little Cid could see of the man's pale face. Vincent frowned at his gauntlet, as though it hadn't been there before. He then seemed to remember something and looked sharply at Cid's injured arms. Specifically the one _he_ injured.

"I'm sorry," he rasped, lowering his gaze.

Cid watched as the gunman dropped his arms and paused, taking a deep, long breath. At least he seemed less pained. Whatever had passed over him was gone now.

"I have no bandages…"

Cid grinned ,lopsided. Despite the pain returning even stronger now the adrenaline was ebbing away, Vincent's listless declaration struck him as humorous. "Well, I'd wonder where the hell yer'd be stashin' em, if yer did," he replied. Vincent's outfit may have been full of buckles and belts, but pockets were not among them. After some quick thinking, Cid began shredding his ruined shirt, stripping lengths of material for his arm. It wasn't clean, but it would stop the bleeding until they could properly take care of them. Vincent merely watched silently, and Cid received the strange impression that the man would have helped, except he didn't want to touch him...

Finally, able to wrap what he could using his free hand and his teeth, Cid managed to apply a strip of shirt to his left bicep and a strip to his right elbow, both of which were bleeding steadily. His shoulder was undressed, being such an awkward place to wrap. They would have to find a village with a medic. There was no telling what diseases those monsters carried. Maybe one of the others had something to apply to his wounds.

"Okay, lets go find the rest of the group," Cid announced, starting forward. He had barely made it a few steps before he grunted and fell to one knee, gripping his leg. Blood had soaked into his pants, torn from the nasty bite of a monster. "Ah, fuck," Cid griped. He looked at Vincent. "Maybe yer should find the others and tell 'em I _might_ be a while…"

Vincent regarded him for a long second. "It would be wise if I stayed by your side… You're in no condition to fight again…"

Internally, Cid smirked. That was the most he'd ever heard Vincent say to him. "Fine, but I'll be snail pacin' it."

Around fifteen minutes later the group was reunited. Cloud looked as cool and unscathed as Vincent. Not a hair out of place. His sword, however, was stained faintly with the blood of those monsters. The others all seem to sport minor injuries, aside from Red who was limping quite noticeably, and Aerith whose arm was heavily bandaged. They decided quickly to leave the forest, or risk attracting more enemies. This was hampered slightly by the two lame members of the group.

/

When night time fell they had already sought rest at a small village sat peacefully amongst the trees. Cid, Red and Aerith were ushered into the medical facility straight away, where their wounds were tended to almost immediately. Despite it being a small village, there were more residents and visitors than there were at the last one. The medical center was fairly large, allowing them all to gather inside while the doctor treated her three new patients. Vincent remained outside.

"Those pack monsters are ruthless," the doctor was saying as she cleaned Cid's shoulder. He was in worse shape, so he was placed at the front of the queue despite his protests. The doctor would have none of his arguments, though. "They hunt in great numbers, and some say they can bring down a Vlakorados."

Cid winced silently as the sting of antiseptic was applied to his wounds. Avalanche had stumbled across the village only an hour after the attack, so his injuries hadn't fully closed and could be treated better. Once they were washed and dressed, the doctor took a blood sample from the pilot in case he had gained any ill conditions. She then gave him a shot of antibiotics and instructed him to take it easy, and then suggested he acquire himself a new t-shirt, as well. Currently, Cid's torso bore nothing, earning some approving looks from the open waiting room. He grumbled and agreed reluctantly to the prescribed rest, and then slid off the high table she had sat him on so she could attend Aerith.

When it came to Red, however, she insisted he be seen by the local veterinarian. Red wisely kept his muzzle closed so he wouldn't draw any (more) attention, despite looking disgruntled. They were directed to the vet's residence and left the hospital.

An hour later they had checked into the large inn on the edge of the village. It overlooked a small, sheltered pond over which hung old, willowy trees. Aerith asked for a room that she could see the pond from, and was granted her request easily. With three beds to each room, the girls and boys required only one between them. Cid found himself bunking with Cloud and Barret again, while Red took to their floor like usual. Cait Sith was assigned a corner and told to switch himself off at night. Barret didn't want a peep out of him when he closed his eyes.

Cloud had paid for a third room, in which Vincent could use if he so wanted. After the trek they had taken that day even the most abnormal person would need a wash and a rest. They didn't quite know where Vincent had disappeared to, or if he would even accept the room. But despite Barret's protests, Cloud purchased it without hesitation.

After both Barret and Cloud had taken their sweet time in the bathroom, cleaning themselves off and enjoying a well-relaxing soak in the tub, Cid finally trudged tiredly into the room and kicked the door closed, undoing his jacket from his waist and letting it fall to the tiled floor, zips clinking and pocket contents rustling. He peeled off his blood-dried pants after slipping out of his well-endured boots and followed them off with his boxers. Had he not glanced in the mirror he would have forgotten to take off his goggles. While he left the water to fill the bathtub, he inspected the small scrapes and bruises he'd obtained that day. A small mark on his ribcage was sore and tender, but aside from his obvious injuries he was fine. His leg throbbed like hell, and he wondered how much it would set their journey back if they had to wait for him to heal. He couldn't walk far, and he couldn't fight well… it might be worth telling them to go ahead without him.

He turned off the two taps when the level had reached the handrails, and sank into the steaming hot water. He hissed as the temperature stung his minor injuries (not to mention other sensitive bits), but it subsided quickly and he relaxed further into the bath. He was wise to keep his wrapped leg and both arms above the soapy water, but the bandages on all three grew slightly moist due to the heavy steam in the air. Cid couldn't really care less, and as he lay there soaking in the hot water, his eyes drifted closed and he reflected on the day he'd had…

/

By morning they had rested well. Rousing later than they would have normally, one by one they rose from their comfortable beds. For Cid, mornings after such fights meant stiffness and more pain. But he gritted his teeth and bared it, determined not to show weakness. If Cloud ordered the group to leave, he would follow with only a few choice words of complaint. But when Cid opened his blue eyes that morning Cloud wasn't in the room, nor was Cait Sith. Barret was pulling on his pants, something Cid couldn't help but watch for a few seconds, as the man only had the full use of one hand.

After watching him struggle and satisfying his entertainment for the morning, Cid gave a morning stretch – hindered somewhat by his wounds – and sat up in bed, testing his limbs. They could have been worse.

"Morning, Cid," Red said, glancing at him before turning to the window and glimpsing the type of day welcoming them outside. It looked bright enough.

"Hey," Cid nodded at him. "Where's Cloud?"

"Gone somewhere," Barret answered, zipping himself up. "Said take it easy until he gets back. Won't be leavin' just yet."

"You guys ain't abandonin' me, then?" Cid asked, throwing back the bed sheet and dropping his legs to the floor. He was clothed in only his unwashed boxers. "Damn, I need some more clothes."

"Better catch up with the girls, then, 'cause they've got the same idea." Barret shifted over to the bathroom. "Banged on the door about ten minutes ago. Surprised ya didn't hear 'em."

"Must've been out dead."

"You did take a beating yesterday," Red reminded him, turning away from the window.

"So did you," Cid replied.

Red looked down at it and lifted his large paw from the floor slightly, testing his own bandaged appendage. "Still sore, but I heal quickly."

After finding his dirt-encrusted pants on the floor and slipping back into them, Cid relieved himself in the bathroom, washed up and stepped into his boots. Walking was even more difficult, as his muscles had tightened and the skin around his leg wound pulled against the dried blood. Still, Cid continued out of the room, shirtless, and hobbled down the hall. Thankfully the inn keeper had given the men a ground floor room. The girls, having wanted to overlook the pond, had been sent to the second floor.

"Are you feeling better today, Sir?"

Cid had come out into the reception, and he stopped to turn his attention on the middle-aged man behind the desk. "Yeah," he lied, less energized than he usually was. "Nothing beats a good nights sleep."

"I'm glad," the inn keeper said, sorting a few papers. "There was a disturbance in the middle of the night. A few of my customers complained. You didn't hear anything?"

Cid faced him and frowned slightly. "No. What kinda disturbance?"

The man's eyebrows rose in retelling of the surprising occurrence. "Someone was screaming. A man, by the sounds of it."

Cid watched him. "Huh." He shrugged and turned away, uninterested. "Someone had bad dreams."

The inn keeper bid him a good day as Cid limped out of the building and into the fresh, late morning air. It would be a warm day, but the air was slightly cool among the trees and shade. Cid headed towards the stores in the opposite direction of the medical center, rummaging in his pockets for the wallet he hoped was still there. If not, some monster fuckers would be a lot richer right now.

Luckily, his hide-skinned wallet was still secured snugly in one of his large jacket pockets. He realized with a bit of surprise that his jacket seemed less scathed then the rest of him. Good thing, too, he was rather attached to it.

He reached a series of fair-sized essential stores, and easily found a small range of basic clothing for sale. He was stuffing his wallet in his pocket again, his newly purchased pants and shirt slung over his arm, when Tifa appeared from behind.

"Shouldn't you get more than one?" She asked, watching as the man pulled his new shirt over his head, finally clothing his torso. "What if we get into more fights along the way?"

Slinging his new khaki pants over his shoulder, Cid began walking away. "I ain't carryin' a fuckin' _suitcase_ all the way to Gold Saucer. I'll just have to be more careful."

Tifa smiled as she followed him, used to his crude language. She had, after all, lived closely with Barret for some time. "Well, Cloud won't be back for an hour, so you should just kick back."

Cid smiled thinly as he closed his eyes, an eyebrow twitched. "I'm not exactly crippled, Tif."

Tifa chuckled, savvy to the man's refusal to act wounded. "I know," she said simply, smiling as she latched her hands behind her back.

A few minutes later they had settled down at a small café, sitting back on a circular table outside with a drink. Cid's new pants were folded untidily over his chair. Yuffie had found them a few minutes after, joining them despite Cid's chosen words.

"Aerith just disappeared into the woods," Yuffie explained why she was alone, picking at a slice of cream cake. Cid had watched her _buy_ it, for once.

"As in, she just disappeared?" Tifa asked, frowning in slight alarm.

Yuffie shook her head. "No, she told me to go on ahead, and then jogged into the woods." The young girl sliced off another part of her cake. Cid debated mentally whether he should get one, it looked really nice. "I think she sensed something. Or maybe she just likes walking through woods on her own," Yuffie brought the cake to her mouth and ate, savoring the sweet taste.

"Hello, lasses," Cait Sith approached, bounded up to them on his mechanical mog.

"Hey!" Cid glared.

"Oops! And lad," Cait Sith corrected, a hand flew to his mouth in error.

Cid picked up his drink, mumbling, "fuckin' cat." He took a long gulp of something bitter and fizzy, but unfortunately alcohol free, as the two girls and the cat began talking.

They were joined by Barret and Red a few minutes later, pulling close another table and chair. They spent a rather long hour lazing back, talking about the old and the new. Cid learnt a few interesting bits of information about his traveling companions, specifically that Tifa owned a bar in Midgar called Seventh Heaven, and Barret had an adopted daughter named Marlene.

"Yeah, after all this is over, I promised her we'd do something' fun together," Barret reminisced, staring off into the woods, obviously thinking about his little girl.

"You should take her to Gold Saucer," Yuffie suggested. "I bet she'd like that."

"Not a bad idea," Barret nodded.

"Oh, Cid, your bandages are stained," Tifa pointed out suddenly, drawing everyone's gaze to the red mark on the wrap around his elbow.

"Ah, shit," he grumbled. He stood from the table. "I left my fresh bandages in the hotel room."

"Want any help with them?" Tifa offered.

Cid shook his head as he walked away. "Nah, I can handle it." He didn't need anyone helping him to do every fucking thing just because he was injured. He promised if he ever came across those little monsters again he would kick the living shit out of them.

The inn keeper was cleaning a large grandfather clock when Cid reentered the building. The clock face was pristine, most likely cared for very well. Hearing his entrance, the man turned around.

"Ah, hello again," he nodded, folding the cloth in his hands.

"Can I get my room key back?" Cid asked. "I left somethin' in there."

The man returned to his desk, tossing the cloth on the polished surface. "Here it is." He produced the key and handed it to Cid, placing both palms on the desk as he hesitated. "Is your friend…okay?"

About to turn around, Cid stopped, fixing his blue eyes on the manager's brown ones. "What?"

"The guy in the red. He came in with you guys, right? … I was a little worried about him."

Cid frowned, questioning the man with silence.

"I don't know how, but he damaged the bathroom sink and wall, along with several other things in his room," the inn keeper explained, frowning too. "And… there was blood on the bed sheets and floor. It was probably him who screamed last night, but I didn't get to ask him what happened… If it was an animal attack I need to know."

Cid stared at him, mind ticking around. Vincent screamed? He was injured? "I haven't seen him…" Cid said distantly, wondering if the gunman had been wounded in yesterday's attack.

"Well, let me know when you find him… He left a pouch of money for the damages but… it doesn't even cover half of the entire cost…"

Cid shot a glance at the man and paused. The money Vincent had given in was probably all he had on him. He didn't strike Cid as filthy rich... But at least Cid knew he was considerate. The pilot pulled out his wallet and tossed several hundred gil on the desk, stuffing it back in his pocket.

"That'll cover the rest," he told him, and without another word he took his keys and left the lobby, barely registering the man's faint 'thank you' as he hobbled up the stairs.

In his room, he found his bandages and – to his chagrin – his weapon, which was propped against the wall. He hit his forehead in a brash punishment and found a few well chosen words to admonish himself with while he snatched his bandages and began to replace his old ones.

"Hey, need any help?"

Having left the door open, Cid hadn't heard his returning companion enter the room. Cloud's large blue eyes watched him, waiting for an answer.

"You're back," Cid stated, ignoring the kid's question, resuming his work. Damn, he needed a cigarette. "So? When we takin' off?"

Cloud leant against the door frame and crossed his arms casually. "When everyone's rounded up. I found most of them at the café." He let the silence linger between them for a second before adding, "And the doctor wants to see you again. She has some medicine for you."

Cid's eyes narrowed, not amused. "Fuckin' hell."

Cloud tilted his head and offered what could have been a sympathetic expression.

Cid wound the last of the bandage around his arm and elbow and fixed it tight. When he was finished he looked Cloud in the eye. Funny, they were both blond men with blue eyes, both leaders, and both looking for a reason to live. Cid couldn't really say that he was like Cloud, though. The kid had some serious past behind him that even _he_ wasn't sure about.

"Cloud…"

The younger man held his gaze, giving him his full attention.

"What's the deal with Vincent?"

Cloud's face was unreadable, and for a long, quiet second he said nothing. He blinked. "Did something happen?"

"I've known some strange people… but Vincent is different," Cid told him carefully, avoiding Cloud's question with a statement of his own.

Cloud neither nodded nor shook his head to this, his expression a mask. "You're right." He glanced at the door before pushing it shut, taking care to hear the sound of the catch clicking. He turned back to Cid. "We found him in the basement of Shinra Manor… He'd been locked in a coffin."

Cid hadn't really expected that. His blond brow twitched ever so slightly. "What…?"

Cloud continued, owing to Cid what the others already knew. "Have you ever heard the name Hojo?"

"Yeah… a scientist, right?"

Cloud gave the barest of nods, his blue eyes deadly serious, glowing eerily. "One without morals… He _experimented_ on Vincent."

"…Shit." Cid cursed softly.

"I _doubt_ Vincent volunteered…" Cloud added, his expression darkening. He watched Cid, considering how much he should tell, debating what to share. "Cid… Hojo did things to Vincent that…" He paused and shook his head, not wanting to continue. "He's not like us any more… Just remember that."

Cid watched him for a long second, processing what he had told him, understanding that there were some things Cloud didn't want to tell him – that he had no right to. Only Vincent could, but that was unlikely. Cid seemed to understand a little – why the rest of the group acted as they did towards Vincent, edging away from him, refusing to bunk on their own with him. They were unsure about him. And… Cid began to understand why Vincent was so reclusive. So cold to people. What had he gone through?

Something occurred to Cid at that moment, and his fallen gaze returned to Cloud's. "That gauntlet he wears. He's never taken it off, has he?"

Cloud's slim eyebrows crinkled slightly, casting back to his memories. "No, not to my knowledge…" he answered, confused.

Cid looked at his injured left arm. The wound he hadn't received from those monsters. "I don't think it can come off," he said meaningfully. His blue eyes rose to Cloud's. "And I don't think he's used to it." The vivid memory of Vincent cutting his own face flashed behind the pilot's eyes. Cid didn't think the man had remembered what was on his hand, or he wouldn't have done that.

Cloud said nothing for a long time, before shifting his stance and placing a hand on the door handle. "Well, we're heading out as soon as everyone's together," he said, opening the door and stepping out. "Don't forget anything." He was gone.

Cid stared at the threshold, processing the information he'd heard. Yep, no doubt about it: His teammates were definitely the weirdest bunch he had ever come across.

/


	4. Chocobo Travels

**Journey**

AN: Sorry for this late update, I've been very busy with the end of semester work at college.

Also, I like to think cure materia heals a majority of external wounds, but is unable to heal internal. With that said, enjoy.

/

They had gathered completely only minutes after Cid joined the group at the café half an hour later, having dropped by to pick up his medicine. Vincent, possessing either a psychic ability or incredibly good hearing, seemed to know Avalanche was planning to move out and emerged from the corner of the building like a silent red shadow. Cid eyed him as he approached, searching his unmoving form for any signs of injuries. The image of Vincent cutting his own face flashed into his mind again, and Cid wondered darkly if the same thing had happened during the night. But he could see nothing that would indicate a fresh wound. It was none of his business, he knew that, but Cid was damned curious what would make a man like Vincent scream.

Back to the present. Chocobos.

Cloud led them to the edge of the village where, tied loosely to a few poles, were four, well-bred mountain chocobos. The large, green birds shifted on their feet and shook their feathers majestically, turning their attentive black eyes on the approaching group. Cid didn't have any particular view on traveling by chocobo, but they were nothing compared to the flight of a plane.

"I could only manage to secure four," Cloud announced as he gave the nearest bird a stroke. It cooed at the action and awaited more. "So we'll have to double up. Red, will you be okay running?" Obviously it might be a bit difficult for the hound to ride…

"I could do with the sprint," the red-furred beast replied. His injured leg had fortunately been nothing more than a pulled muscle. A night sleeping had healed that.

"My mog can run alongside, too," Cait Sith announced proudly.

"I take it there's no bridge across the river, then?" Barret asked, already summing up what the green chocobos were required for.

"No. These will take us to the top of the second mountain peak," Cloud explained, lowering his hand from the chocobo's neck. "They won't go any further, but it will cut a day off our journey to Gold Saucer."

Aerith stepped up to one of the other birds and stroked the soft feathers. Its appreciative 'wark' enticed a giggle from the girl.

They paired up wisely to best accommodate the chocobo with their weight. Barret, to his annoyance, reluctantly agree to share with the lightest member of their group, Yuffie. He slung himself atop the largest chocobo and took the reins, giving it an absent pat to calm it. Yuffie slid behind him, and he gave her a solid warning about stealing anything from his pockets.

"Shouldn't Barret have his own chocobo," Tifa asked, next to Cloud with Cait in her arms. "And Yuffie share with Vincent?" Barret was all muscle; he probably weighed more then the other two put together.

"Vincent can have his own chocobo," Yuffie argued, nodding rapidly, her expression clearly displaying her uncertainty to that suggestion.

"But that's not fair on Barret's chocobo," Aerith said, stood beside with their large bird. "It has a lot of weight on it."

"Thanks," Barret mumbled.

Yuffie's shoulders sagged a little as she swung a leg around slowly. "Fiiiine…"

"Fuckin' hell, _I'll_ share with Vincent," Cid said loudly, handing Aerith the reins of their transport. "You share with Aerith. I ain't super heavy and Vincent don't look that much more. That _okay_?" He added sarcastically.

"Whatever," Yuffie said, sliding down from behind Barret to share with Aerith.

Cid mounted the last chocobo, easily settling on its back. It warked at him softly and he gave it a firm rub and a pat. He didn't ride often, but he did appreciate the beautiful birds. Looking down, Cid held out his hand for Vincent, who had remained characteristically silent.

"Let's go," he said, dimly aware that the others were moving off out of the trees on their two-legged transports.

Vincent paused for a second. His eyes were on the chocobo, but his gaze was beyond it. Before Cid could say anything (like, "hurry the fuck up, gloomylocks"), Vincent mounted behind Cid, completely ignoring his offered hand, and settled himself stiffly.

Cid hmphed quieted, but was already tapping the reins. Their chocobo turned and followed Aerith and Yuffie's. Red and the mog were running alongside it. The pilot soon caught up, and they rode away from the little village and back into the wild.

/

After several hours of riding, they happened upon the smallest village Cid had ever seen. It couldn't rightly be called a village, simply a smattering of buildings crowded around a traipsed dirt road, situated on a cliff edge. The inn sat square and fair sized, the first building they arrived at. Finding somewhere to tie up their chocobos was a task, as there were no trees, poles or indeed anything other than the buildings.

"What a shithole," Cid commented.

They all dismounted, finally locating a suitable open-built barn for the chocobos to sleep and shelter, some few meters behind the inn. They chirped happily, content to rest from the long journey, as their riders disappeared to find sleeping accommodations themselves. There was a storm on the horizon, one that Cid confirmed was heading their way.

The innkeeper was nowhere to be seen. Thankfully, the reception desk had been provided with a small bell. It chimed sharply when Cloud tapped it.

"Oh, why hello there," came the voice of an elderly man. He appeared overlooking them from the second floor balcony and studied his guests with a kindly face as he descended the stairs. "It's been a while since I last saw some new faces."

"We're just passing through," Cloud announced.

The old man reached his desk and took up station behind it, facing the group with a smile. "What's that, seven of you?" He counted, looking around them all with curious, youthful eyes. They paused when they fell upon Red. "Rooms contain two beds each, but we're renovating three of them. I have only three left to offer you."

Cid huffed quietly, arms folded as he glanced at the clock on the wall to his left. It was almost six in the afternoon, and he hadn't had a cigarette in hours. He mumbled where he was heading and left them sorting out rooms to stand outside the inn. Now it had come to his attention, he felt starved of nicotine, and couldn't light a smoke quick enough. That first, blissful inhale felt like heaven as he leant against the brick wall and propped a foot behind the other, regarding the sky with a vacant interest. The injury on his right arm throbbed in vague pain, having been jarred during the chocobo ride, and now he was upright so did his leg. They didn't really bother him, though. He could hear the indiscernible drone of voices from the lobby, but as long as he had a cigarette he didn't care if they bunked him in with the chocobos for the night.

Someone exited the building further along the dirt road and flung a pan full of dust into the air, before scrubbing any stubborn grime with the brush. The mid-age woman noticed Cid's presence outside the inn and offered a friendly wave and "hello" which wavered in the distance between them. The pilot nodded back. His response would have been different had he not taken his nicotine…

When he had finished his second cigarette, he stomped out the butt (forgetful of a certain silent pledge he had given Aerith) and returned indoors, passing Cloud just beyond the threshold. The younger blond handed him a set of keys.

"We managed to get the girls all in one room, but you're sharing with Vincent."

Cid twirled the keyring and fisted it. "Fine with me."

"Mr. Tain the inn keeper is bringing round a small supper in an hour," Cloud told him. "If you're not hungry let him know."

Cid was famished, it was only now that he realized. He nodded to Cloud and left him to seek out his room, hobbling around the ground floor corridor to the third from last door. The room had two modest beds against the right wall and a small bathroom opposite. Cid threw the keys on the nightstand and dropped onto the first bed, perching his injured leg on the sheets so he could roll up his khaki pants. The dressing had become disturbed during the rubbing against the chocobo feathers, but no blood had seeped through. He peeled off the rumpled bandage and dug into his jacket pocket for the roll of spare, proceeding to reapply it. His wound was sore and red, but at least it had stopped bleeding.

His stomach growling at the previous mention of food, Cid passed the hour away by washing himself and retreating to the lumpy comfort of the bed. He retrieved the small bottle of pills the doctor had given him for infection from his pocket and swallowed one dry, before closing his eyes and waited for time to tick by. He was surprised when what felt like half an hour later there came a knock at his door and a generous supper was supplied to him. The innkeeper left him to his food, casting a glance at both of his bandaged arms.

Cid set aside the second potion of soup and bread before diving into his own. It was good quality home made soup that tasted as good as it smelled. He thought he could have eaten a chocobo, but after finishing his food realized it had been just about the right amount… not that he couldn't eat more. He eyed the second bowl, wondering if Vincent would be back before it turned cold. It would be a shame to waste.

However, greed was not a sin he liked to indulge in. Cid left the second meal on the nightstand without another look and took up position by the window. The sun was setting, casting a dark golden stroke across the horizon. Cid watched as the light faded until the sky was given to the night, and the stars appeared, one by one, twinkling from their place in space.

He wasn't sure how long he stood there, as from the window the moon wasn't visible and he couldn't guess by a height he couldn't see. The click of the door handle announced the arrival of his roommate, but he remained with his back to the room. The door was locked closed.

"Yer soup's cold," Cid said, his eyes trailing the silhouette of a small, unidentified monster that flew by. He received no answer. Cid gave the dark sky one last look before turning back to the room. Vincent had sat down on the second bed, his back to the pilot. So cold.

"You should have eaten it," the gunman said, just when Cid thought he'd be getting the silent treatment all night.

"That would make me greedy, now, wouldn't it?" Cid not so much as told than admonished. A familiar craving started to set in, and he cast his eyes around for an ashtray. There wasn't one, but that wasn't going to stop him. "Yer don't mind if I smoke, do yer?"

"No."

Satisfied, Cid pushed open the window and lit a cigarette, letting the gentle draft capture the smoke trail and carry it out into the night. He leant against the wall and surveyed the darkness, letting thoughts roll freely in a seamless train. Many things crossed his mind, but the presence of his current companion acted like a thought magnet, drawing various contemplations to the mystery man. Vincent wasn't just a man with a dark past… there was something else. Avalanche was weary of him, but because of his scary demeanor? No, there was something Cid didn't know that the rest of them did. Cloud about said as much back at the last village. And the more he focused on it, the more Cid _did_ sense something strange from Vincent, like Red had told him.

With a last inhale, Cid flicked the cigarette out into the cool air and closed the window, wrenching the flimsy burgundy curtains across the night view. He turned around and contemplated his next few minutes. It was a pity there was no TV, as the only entertainment available was conversation – and that was pretty unlikely tonight. He could take a walk outside, but that was as exciting as talking to Vincent. If only the village had a bar. He didn't feel like sleeping.

Dropping to the floor at the foot of his bed, he began a round of push-ups, something he used to do when he was absolutely bored. He lost count after fifty, his mind preferring to concentrate on other things, but before long he had worked up a sweat and his biceps were burning. He turned over and continued with a series of sit-ups. In his peripheral vision he could see Vincent still sat on the bed, arms on his knees and a sense of doomed destiny about him. His red eyes flickered to Cid's position, but the pilot couldn't be sure. Maybe Vincent would get the same idea and put some muscle on those bones. (But, that conjured another train of thoughts, as Cid had witnessed the man's mysterious strength during the _Tiny Broco's_ 'abduction').

After a while he felt satisfied enough. A thin film of sweat had accumulated on his chest and back, earning Cid a good excuse to now hit the shower. Vincent still hadn't moved.

"You alive?" Cid asked, pulling off his shirt as he eyed the man on the other bed. The pilot threw his top onto his own and started unraveling the bandages around his arms. His wounds would be fine in the water.

"…That's debatable," Vincent replied, his deep tone lifeless.

Cid huffed, peeling the last gauze from his elbow and tossing it into a small trashcan. "If yer've got a fuckin' heartbeat then yer alive." The pilot turned his full gaze on the man, about to add 'you _have_ got a heartbeat, right?' but refrained from opening his mouth. Instead, he watched Vincent, observed his strange, dark mood. It was almost depression, except Cid wouldn't describe the man as such. All he could read were the eyes and posture, both of which shifted under his blue gaze. Turning away, Cid mentally shook his head and entered the bathroom for his shower…

/

He slept easily that night, despite the lumpy bed. The room was warm and quiet, and the cotton sheets felt really nice against his bare torso, still soft even when he awoke the following morning. In the night, he recalled twisting in the mattress to alleviate the pressure on an injury. His eyes had cracked open, sensing the moonlight filtering in through the curtains. The bed next to his was empty, untouched despite the dead of night.

Vincent stood by the edge of the window, a curtain nudged from his view so he could stare into the night. His form was shadowed by the darkness of the room, but his eyes glowed deeply in the dim light of the moon; magical crimson, no longer the morbid color of blood. They never blinked, and in the foggy recesses of his sleep-hazed mind, Cid could see the pain dancing in their depths, so clear.

He had watched the gunman a few seconds more, and would later be surprised that the usually attentive, sharp man had not noticed his gaze. Cid remembered nothing more after sleep had claimed him.

The morning was muggy, clouded over but bright. Cid stretched under his covers, feeling his muscles tighten comfortably before throwing off his thin duvet and swinging his legs over the bed. He raised his blue eyes to find Vincent almost exactly where he had been last night. The gunman glanced at him, and it was then that Cid realized Vincent's left visible cheek was unblemished. Scar free. Not a single sign of the four slashes he had inflicted were visible. They couldn't possibly have healed that fast…

Maybe Vincent wore make-up.

Cid gave his companion a glance, locking gazes with those red eyes. All the emotion that had been visible last night was gone.

"Cloud been in?" Cid asked, twisting his waist to pop the muscles in his side.

Vincent had turned back to the window. "No."

Getting up, the pilot made his way into the bathroom, closing the door so he could take care of business. He washed and returned to the bedroom, only to find it empty. Vincent had gone.

/

Avalanche regrouped in a small dinning area at the back of the inn for breakfast. There wasn't even a café in the village. Cid found Barret, Cloud, Red and Cait Sith waiting at several small tables. They were shortly joined by the girls. Breakfast arrived minutes later. It was a small, modest meal, but provided enough for them all to run on until they could catch or buy their next dinner.

When they had finished they bid goodbye to the innkeeper and left the building for the chocobo barn. They found Vincent waiting for them, leaning nonchalantly against the wall, eyes closed.

"You missed breakfast, Vincent," Aerith announced as they began unshackling their mounts. She gazed at him, expecting some response as an absent hand ran along the feathered neck of her ride. Vincent said nothing.

"Probably out last night suckin' on some poor guy's neck," Barret muttered, hoisting his muscular body onto his green bird and trotting off to the dirt road.

Yuffie laughed at this, finding it funny like any teenage girl would as Tifa rolled her eyes. Cid shook his head in vague amusement and swung himself atop his mount, casting his gaze back at the silent gunman. He watched as Vincent uncrossed his leg and a second later was seated behind him on the chocobo. No contact, no touch whatsoever. Cid took the reins in hands and tapped his steed into movement, joining the others for the rest of their trek across to the mountains.

It was long and tiresome, and with a companion who specialized in not talking, a very boring journey. Cid kept his mind occupied with the thought of repairing the _Tiny Bronco_, and soaring through the skies with her once again. Although, if their mission to – as Barret so bluntly put it – save the world failed, he wouldn't be repairing anything. It was a morbid thought, one that stuck with him for the majority of the journey. What would the world become if they failed? Would all life simply end? Would only humans be wiped out? As their journey ran on, the weight of their quest began to fall slowly into Cid's mind. So far he'd managed to avoid thinking too deeply on the subject, and had simply accepted what had been said to him with no real comprehension. But now, with plenty of time and too little topics of thought, he was soon lost in a haze of 'what ifs'…

/

The sounds of the crickets provided the ambience that night, under a clear, star-speckled sky and a half moon. The group of mismatched fighters settled around a campfire, three tents erected amongst the trees behind them. Dinner had just been served, courtesy of Barret's determined hunting skills and his ability to cook meat just right.

Aerith, returning to her seat on the ground beside Tifa, curled her legs beneath her body and set down a napkin of meat on her lap. Her green eyes looked beyond the golden glow to the dark, shadowed trees as everyone began tucking into their meal. "Someone should take Vincent some food," she suggested softly.

Barret turned from his conversation with Red. "Don't bother. He won't eat it."

Aerith looked at him thoughtfully for a few seconds, before rising back to her feet and making her way to the cool shades of the trees, out of the firelight.

From his seat on the ground, Cid watched the kind woman disappear to where their silent companion kept vigilance just out of eyesight, chewing on his meat. Vincent had said absolutely nothing to him during their long journey to the summit of the mountain, despite Cid talking anyway. It didn't matter that his riding comrade never replied, Cid never asked him questions. The man had two ears, and that was good enough for the pilot.

"Dibs on his meat," Yuffie said after Aerith had disappeared.

"You eat like a starved chocobo," Red commented, his fire-tipped tail twitching occasionally.

"I'm a growing girl."

As an unnecessary reply from Barret spurred an argument that Cid was only half-listening to, Aerith returned a few minutes later, the napkin of meat still in her hand. The verbal fight between the young ninja and the large gunman ceased momentarily while Yuffie demanded Vincent's refused meal. Cid stopped her.

"No yer fuckin' don't," He said, half-climbing to his feet. "Gimme that." He snatched the food from Aerith' hands before Yuffie could attain it and stood up fully. "I'll make him eat it if I have to force it down his damn throat."

"Cid, leave him," Cloud started, but the pilot was moving off, ignoring him.

The cool night air hit him as he left the radius of the fire, and the meat in his hand felt warmer. The murmurs of the team soon faded as he made his way through the trees, catching a glimpse of red fabric against a backdrop of sky. Emerging from the trees Cid found himself looking down at the land from an edge on the mountain. Far away tiny pinprick lights sparkled like fireflies. Vincent was to his right, watching.

"Nice view." Cid remarked. "Eat this." He thrust the meat into the gunman's stomach, who grunted and automatically took the napkin into his hand (and claw). A talon grazed the back of Cid's.

Vincent looked down at the meat that had again found its way back to him. "And if I don't?" He responded, his voice deep and whispery, as though scratchy from a long period of unuse.

"I'll have to take more forceful action," Cid said casually, a new cigarette between his lips as he struck a match.

"So I heard…"

Cid lit his stick and wafted out the flame, flicking the match away. He raised his blues eyes to lock onto those strange red ones, pausing his craved need to inhale as he studied him and mentally calculated their distance from the camp.

"You've got fuckin' good hearin'," he said carefully, eyeing the man.

Vincent said nothing to this. He lowered his gaze to the meat in his hands and held it out. "I don't need this."

"Yer don't want it?" Cid challenged, inhaling his cigarette.

Vincent faltered briefly. "I… don't _need_ it," he repeated. His tone caught Cid's interest.

"Why not?"

The gunman hesitated again, as though unfamiliar with the concept of conversation. But then, Cid had never really questioned him so directly, and the pilot doubted any of the others had, either.

"Yer owe me." He knew he wasn't getting an answer to his question, perhaps Vincent just didn't know how to respond. But he was determined to get Vincent's cooperation on _one_ thing, at least. In reaction to his statement, Vincent's head inclined just barely, inquisitively. Cid explained, "Paid for yer hotel damages back at that village. Cost a might bit more than _you_ put down for it."

Vincent's brow creased slightly, and if Cid could name the expression he'd say it was almost troubled.

"…I will pay you back…" Vincent said lowly after a long bout of silence. No thank you.

"Yer can start by eatin' that fuckin' meat," Cid said, his voice much louder than Vincent's in the quiet air. He smirked.

Vincent seemed to be battling with refusal or surrender as he stared at the meat in his hands. Cid could almost hear the mental sigh as he gave in. He shifted the meal to his claw as he picked up a slice with his right hand.

Cid smiled triumphantly as he turned to watch the landscape before them, basking in the feeling of victory. He leant against a tree trunk, crossed his legs, and shared the night's ambience with his strange traveling companion…

/

After another long, treacherous climb to the second peak that next morning, the chocobos refused to go any further. Their job had ended. Cid and the team dismounted along a reasonable flat area, and watched as the three green birds trotted back the way they'd come, in for another long journey home.

The atmosphere at their current altitude was cold and bitter, with a strong wind occasionally kicking up to cause further discomfort. Only meters above them snow had settled on the very highest peaks. Cid felt the chill in the air, but despite spending days working under the hot sun, his hardy skin was little affected by the cool temperature. The girls, on the other hand, shivered and wrapped their arms around themselves, their clothing not warm enough to protect them from the cold.

"Let's make the rest of this trip quick," Yuffie said, furiously rubbing her arms. "Before we freeze to death."

"Just think warm thoughts," Tifa suggested, arms crossed over goosebumped flesh as they began walking.

Cid untied his jacket. "Hey," he called to her, and then promptly threw it at the girl. "Fight over that."

Yuffie tried just that, but eventually the two girls agreed to share the jacket. "Stinks of grease," Yuffie complained, wrinkling her nose.

"Yer gonna complain, I'll just take it back," Cid threatened, lighting up his third cigarette of the morning.

"Nonono, it smells fine!"

Their trek began to finally descend down the mountain, following a roughly beaten path as it twisted and snaked behind walls of stone and through rocky corridors. As they emerged from a hallway of grey they were greeted to the sight of the land below, and far into the distance was the Gold Saucer, surrounded by a sea of desert.

"At least we can see our destination now," Aerith smiled.

Her face dropped when a thunderous roar split the air and a huge creature leapt from the wild, rocky outcroppings of above. Its landing was so heavy it upset the ground on which she walked, sending her falling to the floor.

"Shit – that thing's massive!" Barret shouted, raising his gun arm. The lower ground level of the monster put Aerith in the way, so he dared not shoot.

The flower girl scrambled to her feet. Her movement seemed to spur on the behemoth, as it gave a throaty growl and charged at the group, following the target of a pink dress. Cloud flew to meet it, bringing his sword down for a guaranteed impact – but it snapped is monstrous head back and sent the young blond sprawling away, kicking up dirt as he slid through harsh rock. Tifa and Cid charged as one, and it wasn't until Cid's spear merely scratched the surface of the monster's thick skin that he realized normal attacks were not going to cut it.

"Fry it!" He yelled behind him.

His mistake was momentarily turning away his concentration, and a second later the breath was knocked from his body as he was battered aside savagely. A grunt of pain escaped him as he rolled away – then quite suddenly the ground was no longer beneath him, and his body was wrenched over and down by the cruel force of gravity – until something grabbed his wrist in a painful vice grip and stopped his descent. He squinted up at his rescuer as he dangled dangerously over the edge of the cliff, catching the briefest glimpse of Vincent as he was hauled back onto solid ground.

"Shit, that was cl – "

Before he could thank his rescuer, they were both deafened by the roar of the monster and engulfed in a wind of putrid breath. Cid threw himself backwards as it snapped at him with teeth the size of materia, but the crack of a triple gunshot brought them both to a halt as three bullets pinged off the monster's armor-thick skin. It turned on Vincent sharply, possessing great speed for its size, completely ignoring a ball of fire that exploded against its side from somewhere to the left. It lunged for Vincent and missed as the gunman skipped back nimbly, but in the same fluid motion the monster spun around, and its tail slammed into Vincent, knocking him from his feet – and over the edge of the cliff in a billowing mass of red.

"Vincent!" Aerith called frantically – they were all rushing forward, but the unmistakable fire of Vincent's gun split the air. An explosion of blood from the creature's low underbelly sent it reeling back, howling in pain. It reared in confused desperation, almost crushing Cloud and Yuffie, who dashed out of the way. It crashed to the stony earth, writhing and moaning until their leader put it out of its misery, embedding his sword in its exposed belly. With a last breath it slumped and died.

The air was momentarily silent until Tifa rushed to Cid's side where he crouched at the edge of the cliff. "There – I see him!" She called, pointing to a point far below down the steep rocky mountain. "He's not moving – "

"Can we get down to him?" Yuffie asked, worry in her voice, hands on her face.

"It's too dangerous," Barret said regrettably, casting his dark eyes down the sheer drop. He looked back at their four-legged friend. "Red, can ya get down there?"

The friendly beast studied the hazardous fall for a second. He nodded. "Yes, I can."

"You stay with him until we can get down," Cloud ordered, taking a green orb from his knapsack. "Take this, use it if it helps."

Red took the materia into his mouth, turned, braced himself on the very edge of the rocky pathway and sprung. The team watched as he fell briefly through the air before catching an angled rock slab to halt his descent. He clawed cat-like onto it before taking another leap for an adequate foothold a little further down. For anyone with two legs it would have been impossible.

"Let's go," Cloud said, breaking everyone from their hypnotic watch.

They continued on the path they were following with increased speed, eager to get down and see if their companion was okay. Cid glanced at his teammates, somehow slightly surprised by how concerned they looked; though some of them masked it well. It wasn't that Cid thought they didn't care about Vincent, but the skirting manner they had all displayed around him gave the pilot the impression they might all feel better without Vincent around. He would have thought it naïve that they held hope for the gunman's survival, as a fall from such a height meant the end for anybody. But Vincent wasn't normal…

Twenty minutes later of frequent jogging, Cloud stopped to climb over a wall of boulders. Red's voice floated from a short distance, sounding alarmed. Cloud looked back at the team.

"They're on unstable ground, we've gotta get Vincent back here," he told them. "Cid, I hope you've been rock climbing before…"

The pilot 'humph'ed in amusement and climbed up the boulders after a disappearing Cloud, as easily as the younger blond had. As a matter of fact, Cid loved rock climbing.

"It's unstable here," came Red's voice. "Be careful or you'll cause a landslide."

Cid scaled the rock and found enough footing to stand up. Red was laid beside the motionless body of Vincent, between him and the rest of another very long fall. They were about twenty meters away, propped on a little island of stable rock. On either side, though, the ground was loose and steep, like a river of stone.

Cloud shimmied over first, picking his footing very carefully. Cid followed, a respectable distance behind, yet close enough should one of them tumble the other could catch them. A minute later Cloud reached the little slab and crouched beside Vincent. This close, Cid could see a lot of red… and it wasn't the cape.

"He alive?" Cid asked.

"Yeah, but badly injured," Cloud answered. Something in the way his eyebrows creased worriedly caused a tightening in Cid's chest. Cloud wasn't worried for Vincent's health, it was something else.

"Cid, I will move and you can assist Cloud," Red said, rising to his four feet. The small slab of rock was big enough only for two people. With an impressive jump, Red cleared over the sea of rock to land beside the pilot. Cid made his way over quickly, unable to clear such a gap with just one jump. He leapt lightly to Cloud's side and looked down at his injured, and quite likely broken, companion.

"You take his legs," Cid said, bending down by Vincent's head. There were bits of stone and rubble littered over the gunman's body.

Together, the two blond's gently picked up their friend, careful and slow, and fearful of any internal injuries. It was difficult to get back across, but eventually they had reached the solid boulders and were lowering the limp gunman into the strong arms of Barret, who effortlessly took the man and deposited him carefully onto a small patch of grass. As Cid and Cloud jumped down easily Aerith was examining the unconsciousness man.

"He okay?" Yuffie asked, concern in her voice as she hovered over.

Aerith took out a small cloth from her backpack, knelt beside the injured man. She carefully cleaned away the excessive blood on Vincent' face, but beneath the red were nothing more than fading scratches and bruised skin. She gave him a gentle examination, checking for broken bones or swelling.

"He's okay," she announced, a touch of concern in her voice contrary to her words. "He doesn't even need a cure."

"No injury whatsoever?" Red asked, hopeful.

Aerith raised her large green eyes. "None."

"Where the fuck did all that blood come from?" Cid asked, frowning. He looked at red. "You healed him with that cure?"

"Only the external injuries," Red replied. "It won't replace the blood loss, though."

"Vincent will recover fine," Aerith assured them, shrugging off her red jacket, folding it in half and slipping it under Vincent's head.

Red nodded slowly, happy for the news. He turned his one good eye on Cloud. "I dropped the cure materia after I'd used it. I'm sorry."

Cloud shrugged. "It's okay, don't worry about it. We have Aerith's."

Cid parked himself on a nearby rock jutting from a boulder and pulled out a cigarette. "Well, I aint draggin' Vincent's ass down the mountain. Looks like we wait for him."

Cloud nodded his agreement, and they began to settle themselves down comfortably in the warming sun, sheltered from the cool wind that had followed them from the peak. Yuffie entertained them with tales of folklore from her home country, boasting of a proud history. She did love to talk. Aerith assisted Tifa in cleaning up as much dried blood from their unconscious teammate as possible, but it had soaked into his cape and hair, and nothing but a good soak could remove it.

Vincent regained consciousness a little while later, when the sun had begun to sink from its highest point in the sky to a lower position, allowing that cold breeze from the peaks to lower in temperature. Yuffie, who had all but stolen Cid's jacket from Tifa, tightened it around her, knees folded to her chest. Only her feet and head were visible, and if she'd buried her ears in the warmth of the coat she wouldn't have heard Vincent groan.

"Vincent?" She shifted closer and his eyes fluttered open. "Hey, you're awake. You okay?"

Her voice drew the attention of Aerith and Tifa who turned around in time to see Vincent getting slowly to his feet. Yuffie remained huddled in her stolen jacket.

"Take it easy, Vincent," Tifa told him, getting to her own feet to hover by him worriedly. She never touched him, though, Cid noticed. "You fell a _long_ way."

"I'm fine," Vincent said dismissively, looking at their surroundings. The deep red blood on his cape and matted in his hair seemed to set off his deathly pale face alarmingly. If Cid didn't know any better, he'd have thought the dead had started to rise.

"Great," Barret rose to his feet, too, having seen their companion awake. "Let's get going before the temperature drops up here."

Cloud gathered his sword and knapsack, slinging the bag over his shoulder. "Good idea. We should reach the bottom of the mountain before the sun sets."

With all members conscious and able to move, they again set off for their destination: Gold Saucer.

/


	5. The Keystone

**Journey**

/

The trip down the remainder of the mountain was uneventful, with the exception of a lone flying beast which took a potshot at Yuffie, got more than it bargained for and flew away quickly. They traveled along the valley of two mountain ranges for another few hours, eager to cover as much ground as possible until their little ninja friend announced she was tired and hungry. By then it was dusk, and the sun had cast a rusty glow on the horizon. The group agreed to settle down for the night in a sheltered area by a large, knurled tree. Tifa and Cloud went hunting for food.

"Rufus doesn't have any idea where this Keystone is, right?" Yuffie asked no one in particular, hutching close to the fire they had prepared.

"I don't think so," Barret replied, cleaning his gun arm with a small rag.

"Unless he, too, came across the weapons maker," Red said from his position next to the dark man. Cait Sit was leant against him, glowing from the firelight and apparently very comfortable in Red's fur. If a robot could feel comfort.

"Damnit," Barret cursed. "I should'a' told him to keep his mouth shut."

"Too late now," Yuffie shrugged nonchalantly.

Cid, further back from the fire where he was cleaning his own weapon, had half an ear on their conversation, and half an eye on the silent, blood-soaked man keeping a lookout on the edge of their clearing. How is it that a man can fall off the edge of a mountain and live? Even more miraculously, with no apparent scarring? What in the hell had Hojo done to him?

Cloud and Tifa returned with edible berries and a few small rodent animals for Barret to cook. With their bellies happy, they soon settled onto the ground for sleep. With the exception of Vincent.

The morning following was fairly cool, but it woke them up and pushed them on, fresh faced and eager to move. That afternoon they finally arrived at the small town of Coral Village. Surprisingly, they went straight through with no stops; not even to resupply. Wasn't this where Barret originated?

The rope bridge platform was almost empty save for a few excited tourists. Cid, who had never actually been to Gold Saucer, paused as Yuffie, Red and Aerith passed by to enter the tram, gazing into the distance at the huge theme park looming ahead. Atmospheric cloud obscured the highest of the park, and despite the obvious joy it was designed to create, Cid thought it looked like a giant, waiting to swallow them via the rope transport.

The tram hummed to life once all passengers had been seated, and as it ascended into the sky, Cid marveled briefly how smooth the suspension was. The ride was short, and as the excited tourists onboard got up in their seats as they approached the station, Cid noticed Vincent by the doorway, stood firmly and silently as always. He had been the last one in, and as the tram came to a stop and the doors opened, he was the first one out. Cid followed Red as two kids ran past him, thinking that if _he_ were locked in a coffin for however long he wouldn't be too thrilled in enclosed spaces, either.

Cloud paid for a ticket at the entrance to the park and ordered everyone through. Cid glanced disinterestedly at various features within Gold Saucer as they walked, unimpressed but noting his environment. He was jolted as someone bumped into him.

"Watch where yer fuckin' walking," Cid scolded their youngest teammate, who appeared less than bothered by his words, and grinning at their surroundings like the kid she was.

"Can we go on the rides?" She begged Cloud, hanging onto his arm.

"We need to find Dio," he reminded her.

"Well, can't _you_ do that and _we_ go on rides?"

"…Fine, you go."

Yuffie cheered and attempted to persuade the other two girls to join her, however Tifa wouldn't leave Cloud and Aerith seemed more interested in finding the Keystone.

"After we find it we can enjoy the park," Tifa promised. Aerith nodded.

"Okaaaaay…" Yuffie agreed reluctantly.

Cid found himself walking almost in step with Vincent, who for someone with such long legs managed to stay at the back. "Bet this ain't _your_ cup'a' tea," he smirked as they passed brightly colored mascots and wall decorations.

Vincent merely glanced at him, but that in itself was a solid response, Cid thought.

Cloud led them into the Battle Square, where he mentioned something about a showroom belonging to Dio. Objects of fascination sat proudly in glass cases or on stands, some glinting expensively in the specialized lights. In the center of the room sat the object they needed. Having never seen it before, it was strange how they all knew.

"The keystone…" Cloud muttered to himself, light from the case danced in his vivid blue eyes.

"Grab it and let's go," Cid said, looking at the higher objects with concealed interest. Everything seemed to sparkle in this room. A stronger shine caught his eye and he turned them on something gold. It was attached to Vincent's arm. Cid huffed in amusement. That was the only bright thing about the man. Though, when he raised his blue gaze to Vincent's, the man's red eyes were ablaze, seemingly catching every light in the room. Cid stared.

"We can't just steal it," Aerith told Cid, always the moral voice, snatching away his attention.

It seemed luck was on their side, and with good timing to boot. A large man wearing nothing but a pair of fighting briefs entered the showroom, with a confident attitude and a mustache that for some reason annoyed Cid even more than his half-an-outfit. He was laughing, either about something prior to his entrance or he found their presence humorous.

"Long time no see, my boy," he grinned smoothly, addressing Cloud, who had turned from the Keystone's case. "Looks like your group's grown even more." He eyed Yuffie and Vincent, but seemed completely oblivious to Cid, who crossed his arms and glared mildly. Dio's interest (or horror) of Vincent's appearance stole his attention for a long moment. "…I see you were admiring my Keystone."

Cloud squared his shoulders. "Can you let us borrow this?" He asked straight forwardly.

Dio laughed again, louder. He really irritated Cid. "Heh, sorry, but it's not for rent." He seemed to consider something then, as his expression passed from one to another, dark eyes on Cloud's larger ones. "Hmm…" He studied the blond for a second longer before coming to some decision. "Since you've been good to me in the past, I _can_ let you have it. On one condition…"

Cloud looked faintly suspicious. "What condition?"

The large man spread his arms enthusiastically and said, "entertain me!"

Perhaps being wise to the world's darker side, Cid completely misinterpreted Dio's meaning, but before he could say anything Cloud asked what Dio wanted him to do.

"Show me your fighting skills," Dio announced. "This _is_ the Battle Arena. I want to see you battle. Just you though, I'm expecting a good fight."

Cloud's face set. "Fine."

/

Gathered in the large, highly elevated and protected seated area of the Battle arena, Avalanche took their seats at the front of the mezzanine, eager to watch their teammate fight. He performed impressively, victor over everything that was thrown at him. Until the final monster.

"Come on, Cloud," Tifa urged quietly from her standing position, one hand hovering nervously by her chin. Cid tried hard not to look at her ass, but it gleamed in the light and he lost the battle. His eyes didn't linger very long though; he respected her too much.

The last fight proved too difficult for their leader, and Dio was forced to end it before the monster tore the young man apart. He was chaperoned out of the Battle arena and to a medic while the rest of Avalanche filed out and made their way back to the main lobby, where they waited patiently for Cloud. When he emerged he was less than proud of his fight.

"Yer did great, kid," Cid assured him, slapping him on the back. "That last one was a tough bastard."

Cloud looked disappointed and downhearted. "I should have finished _all_ fights."

"Don't worry, Cloud," Tifa clasped his arm comfortingly. "I doubt any of us could have gotten that far."

"Cloud!" Dio appeared from wherever his premium seating was located. "That was great, really entertaining. Shame you couldn't finish off that last one, eh?" He planted a heavy, although friendly, hand on the smaller man's shoulder and guided him into the showroom. "A promise is a promise. Go ahead, take it."

Cloud took the Keystone from its stand and held it firmly, staring at its crystal surface as though hypnotized. His blue eyes blinked and he turned to his friends.

"Well then, we shall meet again!" Dio boomed, and then laughed as though there was cause for it.

Avalanche left the Battle Arena.

/

The tram system was down when they returned to the station. Having approached the transport they were quickly ushered away by an engineer, who explained to them the situation. Needless to say, after having acquired the Keystone, they were all very disappointed and annoyed by this unforeseen occurrence delaying their journey.

As Avalanche traipsed away, Cid demanded a report on the tram, and offered his own engineering skills in an attempt to fix the problem quickly. The nervous engineer refused his help, albeit reluctantly, stating he was not allowed to include non-staff.

"You never heard of Cid fucking Highwind?" Cid demanded. "I could probably have this baby up and running in no time."

"I'm sorry, sir, I'm not allowed," the younger man faltered under Cid's fierce blue glare.

After a second of silence, Cid waved a hand dismissively as he turned away, knowing the man was right to refuse the work of non-hired help. He was still pissed off, though.

Avalanche had disappeared, but as Cid reentered through the gates of the park, a familiar red-clothed figure waited just inside, leaning against the wall and looking very much like he had just climbed out of a blood bath. Cid had temporarily grown accustomed to his current appearance, but the man was receiving some very frightened and alarming looks.

"Where've they gone?" Cid asked, though he was mildly surprised the man had waited for him.

"Throughout the park," Vincent answered emotionlessly, as usual. "…Cait Sith – " this he said strained, as though referring to a machine with a name was a tricky concept – "has arranged accommodation at the local hotel."

It occurred to Cid, as they both walked through the brightly colored pathways, that Vincent had never actually spoken as many words to the other members of Avalanche as he had to him.

"Good. We'll get checked in and _you_ can clean that damn blood out of yer hair and clothes," Cid said, adjusting the cigarette packet under his goggles straps. "Yer beginning to smell."

Vincent glanced at him, and in some indiscernible way his expression changed, making Cid smile. He noticed, as well, that there was the hint of a shadow under those red eyes, and a strained way in which he blinked. He was tired. So that meant he _needed_ sleep… so why didn't he?

The hotel was a ghost themed-residence, completely apart from the rest of the jolly park. Cid raised an eyebrow as they walked through the gravestone-decorated yard, noticing how authentic each tomb seemed. The hotel itself was furnished with gothic interior, and pretty impressive at that. A deep red carpet led them from high-arched doors into the lobby, where a huge mahogany reception desk sat against the opposite wall. Cid looked about with more interest than he'd shown the rest of the park. The hotel was pretty striking.

Their rooms were already booked when Cid asked the darkly dressed woman at reception. Cait Sith worked fast.

"Are you new here?" The receptionist turned her eyes on Vincent. "They didn't mention hiring anyone."

Cid burst out laughing. "He ain't staff. He just looks like that."

The woman's face turned down, horrified as she stared. "Good Gods, what happened to you?"

Vincent grabbed the keys she had been about to hand to Cid and turned away, saying, "A mountain." And with that, he walked away.

Cid smirked at the woman's expression and leant an elbow on the desk. "Fits in well here, don't he? Hey, how many rooms did that cat book?"

"Four, sir."

Cid shrugged. "Guess I'm sharin' with Vincent." He followed after the gunman up a grand gothic staircase, wondering why in the hell couldn't they all get one room each, just for once. Not that he cared, really. As long as there was a bed he didn't care if it was perched on the edge of a ravine.

The room was spacey and furbished like the rest of the hotel. Cid propped his spear near the closest bed, glancing at their wall decorations: a fake axe and a small coffin. Cid wondered if the latter would bother Vincent. The man didn't even seem to notice them. On the left wall was the door to the bathroom, and only when he saw this did Cid realize how much he needed to urinate.

When he was done in the bathroom, he kicked off his boots and leapt nimbly on the bed, laying on his back. "They got bathrobes in there, so yer don't have to walk about naked." He stared at the intricately dark ceiling, wondering how one man managed to go through all the shit they'd scraped themselves out of in only one set of clothes. "So get washing."

Vincent slid his gun back into its holster on his thigh and was silent for a second, eyeing the bathroom as though what lay beyond the threshold was foreign territory. Cid smirked. After another moment, Vincent glanced at Cid silently and disappeared into the bathroom swiftly, closing and locking the door. He'd taken in his gun, as well. Cid chuckled. The man was beginning to grow on him.

/

Three quarters of an hour later Cid was sparring with himself using his spear, a cigarette between his teeth. The room was big enough for him to swing the weapon around, so he had no problem with space. His attempt to doze off had been unsuccessful, and for once he wished he had someone to talk to, even if he did all the talking.

The bathroom door finally clicked and opened, releasing a lethargic cloud of steam. Cid glanced up from a pose, spear thrust forward, and felt the moist heat cling to his face. _It must have been like a fucking sauna in there._ Vincent finally stepped out from the bathroom, but what had gone in wasn't exactly what came out. Cid had always been good at keeping his cool, but he completely lost his focus as his eyes strayed to the man's face, no longer hidden behind the collar of his cape. Admittedly, he had _not_ been expecting Vincent to look like _that_.

Blinking back his to his senses before the gunman started to frown at him, Cid continued with his exercise, the cigarette momentarily forgotten and his focus divided. "Yer look better," he said casually. He found it more difficult to keep his eyes from _straying_ than to remember his pattern, they just wanted to _stare_. Vincent had donned the hotel's complimentary black-colored bathrobe, and looked uncomfortably exposed. No surprise. His leather and cape – and his headband, Cid realized – were all soaked and hanging in various places in the bathroom, drying off. Not the best of places after a heated shower. He had a strange feeling Vincent had begun waiting for them all to dry, but realized it wasn't going to happen and he'd have to emerge from the bathroom without them.

To his comment Vincent said nothing. He sat down on the furthest bed with his back to Cid. Long hair, clean of blood and heavy with water, hung down his back, ink black against the duller shade of the robe. Cid stared. If he had just walked in the room he'd have sworn there was a woman sat there. His cigarette fell out his mouth and singed his knee.

"Shit," he hissed, picking it back up quickly. He threw it in the bathroom sink and leant against his spear in the room, wondering what he could do to keep his mind occupied. He was bored, and he _really_ didn't need to be staring at a man who was a goddamn… well… pretty boy. Quite suddenly, the memory of Vincent's voice and his features didn't match at all. It was an odd combination of masculinity and femininity – as much as Cid _hated_ to use such a word against another man.

Quite suddenly Cid was hungry. In fact, he was famished. He propped his spear back against the wall and spied the phone sat on the nightstand between their two beds. A short call and an order of lunch was placed for one; Vincent didn't want anything. Cid sat back on his bed and began to clean his goggles, realizing how dirty they were and almost glad of the task. His blue eyes flickered to Vincent's back, wondering if the man had ever taken off that outfit of his since Cid had joined the party. He was very pale, but… it was a _healthy_ pale. Not so much pale as … ivory colored…

"Why don't yer eat?" Cid asked bluntly, if somewhat gently for his usually loud tone. It broke the silence just as effectively, either way.

Vincent's head inclined just slightly to his shoulder, in Cid's general direction. His profile was alarmingly normal for a man who had hidden it away, albeit tired. What had he been afraid of? Being admired? (Or being molested?)

Finally, after seeming to considering his answer, he said, "I don't need to eat."

"Yer said that, already," Cid replied, licking his thumb and rubbing a lens of his goggles. "But yer've eaten before."

Vincent's head turned away again. "It's pointless to eat when it's not needed. Someone else could have that share." He let a second pass before adding with a slight accusing undertone, "unless someone _bullies_ me to eat."

Cid smirked. "Eatin' ain't just a necessity. It's a pleasure. Yer gotta enjoy _somethin'_ in life, right?"

Again, Vincent's head shifted, glancing at Cid from the corner of his eye. He didn't say anything more.

Cid's food arrived shortly later, when he was starting to think his pillow looked tasty. He offered Vincent a share, but he refused it, typically. Cid scoffed the food down hungrily until his stomach ceased growling, and then chewed the rest of it slower, savoring the taste. His blue eyes strayed to Vincent's motionless back again, gaining a tingling sense of gnawing curiosity that he'd never really felt for _anyone_, let alone a man.

"So, where're yer from?" Cid asked, with the tone of a good-natured conversationalist, breaking the silence. "Yer look part Wutaian."

The only immediate answer was a slight movement of Vincent's head. Several seconds later, he said, "I don't remember."

Cid winced a little. How could someone not remember where they were born? Vincent didn't strike the pilot as someone possessing a bad memory, so…

"_Have you ever heard the name Hojo? … He experimented on Vincent…"_

He recalled what Cloud had told him, what Hojo had done, and it dawned on him that… perhaps the reason Vincent didn't remember was because his memories had been _taken_ from him… _Shit._

Cid took a minute to watch his companion, contemplating what he knew about the man. It wasn't much. He toyed with a piece of flatbread and shifted on his bed, turning his thoughts on himself, revisiting some old memories and life goals. Finally, he returned his gaze to the slim form of Vincent.

"What're yer fightin' for?"

This time, after a long pause, Vincent's head turned around to look Cid in the eye. The captain was once again stunned by his looks, and realized that perhaps he was being given a rare privilege here…

"To atone."

Meeting his eerie glowing but weary red eyes, Cid held the gaze, almost lost in the intensity. He was vaguely confused by Vincent's answer. He'd expected a quest of vengeance or revenge, a course of action against the man who'd done him wrong. He wanted to ask what Vincent was atoning for, but he'd never been a prying man, and he wasn't going to start now, no matter how fucking curious he was.

But Vincent had read his expression, seen his confusion, however fleeting it was. "You expected something else."

"Yeah…" Cid said carefully, leaving his response at that. He didn't want to inadvertently reveal to Vincent that he knew of his experimentation at the hands of Hojo. He doubted Vincent would be pleased to know members of Avalanche had been discussing matters to Cid that they had no right to. But… the rest of them knew, so why shouldn't he?

It seems that his one worded answer couldn't hide his secret knowledge from Vincent, judging by, not so much the expression – or lack of – but the flicker in his crimson eyes. Cid just _knew_ he knew.

"And you?" Vincent asked after a second's silence, his seemingly flawless features locked onto the captain's. Not a single scratch on that pale face, even after all he'd been through.

This surprised Cid; he hadn't really been expecting Vincent to show an interest in _him_. He rolled onto one elbow with the flatbread still between his fingers. "I guess I'm fightin' for me," he said, looking at the food he was fondling. He tossed it back onto the foot tray on the nightstand between them. "Before you guys came to Rocket Town, I was just toilin' away, waitin' for the time when the space program would kick up again. I wasn't really livin', that place was sappin' what life I had left." His blue eyes drifted to some spot above Vincent. "S'all I wanted, to become the first guy in space. But it ain't happenin'. So what've I got left? Fuck all!… Except this." He gestured with his palms and found Vincent's patient red eyes again. "This journey. S'all I've got left, and maybe, maybe I might find my future or a new goal along the way." He paused and snorted in humor. "_If_ we fuckin' _live_."

There was a long silence between them, not uncomfortable, but not easy either. Cid found his eyes straying along the wall decorations, thinking about the town he'd left behind and wondering if he will ever get to return to it with a new dream.

"It is admirable…" Vincent said, his tone was almost gentle in the quiet of their room. Cid gave a questioning frown. "To seek a new goal out of the safety zone of what is familiar to you. Especially given our current circumstances."

"Admirable, huh?" Cid repeated, a tone of skepticism in his accented voice. "Selfish more like. Abandonin' a town that all _fuckin'_ depend on me – _just me_. They can't do anythin' without me there to tell 'em what to do. It was suffocatin'! I don't care that I'm selfish, sooner or later they've all gotta learn to walk on their own, and if that means I have to leave 'em flappin' around, so be it."

Vincent studied him silently, observing him in the same way a wild animal might look at an object of mild interest. Cid caught his eye and raised an eyebrow, studying him back brazenly. He was surprised when Vincent lowered his gaze first, leisurely checking out the bed spread, seemingly pensive. They shared a calm silence before it was broken once again.

"You know what it is we are fighting against?" Vincent asked, or more accurately, reminded.

"Yeah. I know."

"And yet you joined us, on possibly a one-way ticket to hell, knowing you might not return…" Those red eyes had met his again. "And still you hope to find a future." Cid shrugged, hearing it put like that was almost funny. "You're either very foolish," Vincent continued in a lower tone, "or incredibly optimistic…"

Cid locked their gaze in retaliation to the man's, resisting the urge to smirk in amusement. Vincent sure had a way with words when he cared to use them. "Opposite of you, either way." He shot back, the corner of his lips curling. "We balance each other out, then, huh?"

He was pleased to notice the slight – very slight – elevation of Vincent's eyebrows at his comment, and the look he received was something… different, in some unreadable way. But that was his only response, and after that, silence dominated the room again.

/

Cid found himself a few hours later in the only alcohol-serving bar on Gold Saucer, pushing his glass forward for a refill. No one had come by the room to update them on their situation, so Cid, with the attitude of he-who-doesn't-gives-a-fuck, left the Ghost Hotel to seek out some refreshment. And by refreshment he meant alcohol. The bar was located in perhaps the only dark place in the park, but for all its shadows and locations, the bright and flashing lights of the far away attractions still managed to find its way in the smoky atmosphere. Cid didn't care. It had been too long since he'd had a good drink, but he was sure making up for it now. With his glass refilled, he took another long swig and savored the satisfying sting of whatever high percentage was contained within the drink.

"Should you be drinkin' that with those pills the doc gave ya?" A familiar deep voice asked, sitting down beside him.

"With any luck I'll be too floored to see this shittin' bright, happy décor they slapped on this park," Cid answered.

"Yeah." Barret agreed, and paused for affect. "Where'd' ya keep ya pills?" He grinned as Cid snickered at him before ordering his own drink. "Thank fuck I found this. I managed to ditch the ninja brat, 'n' Cait Sith just disappeared." He chugged down a good half of his pint before speaking again. "They letcha have a go at that tram?"

Cid held his glass and stared at the lengthy mirror on the wall behind the bar. He could see all the dancing lights behind them in the distance. "Nah. Bunch'a' idiots."

Barret shrugged his large shoulders, his skin looked even darker in the light-less room. People behind were mere shadows and shapes, distinguished only by their clinking glasses and talking.

It wasn't long later, before the booze had properly kick in, Red XIII found them and announced the party had gathered in the Ghost Hotel lobby and were waiting for the two men to join them. They paid for their drinks and reluctantly slid off their stools. Cid completely missed the concept of standing and fell loudly to the floor. Barret's laugh boomed.

"These pills're pretty good," Cid commented once he was back on his feet, feeling very tired all of a sudden. "Not quite the buzz I was hopin'…" He trailed off, fighting a yawn. _Mental note: pills and booze equal good nights sleep._

They followed their four-legged friend through the eye-hurting bright areas back to the comforting darkness of the Ghost Hotel, passing a few people who gave Red's fire-tipped tail a curious glance. It was like a beacon in the Ghost area.

Everyone was waiting for them (including two ghost holograms, complimentary with the hotel, Cid guessed) in the lobby as Red had said. Vincent, Cid noticed through a pair of heavy eyelids, was wearing his leather and red cape, although the latter (along with his headband) look distinctly saturated with water, and Cid had to stifle a chuckle. The man wouldn't – no, couldn't – be seen without his mantle. It made sense, really; who would be afraid of a man who looked like he belonged on the front page of a male model magazine … _if_ they didn't know him before hand?

Cid trudged over to him by the wall, sinking into a large comfy chair that was thankfully vacant of man or ghost. He could feel the tingling of the alcohol in his system, heavy and warm.

"We don't usually get the chance to be together like this, huh?" Cait Sith said, breaking the silence that had just begun to fall around them. He sat atop his giant white mog (which had been given a good cleaning since their arrival)

"It's a good chance to talk about our quest," Aerith said from by the table, where sat the two ghosts playing chess. Her pink dress was gone, probably drying off after a good clean, where Vincent's cape should have been. She wore a simple white one, which she must have bought somewhere in Gold Saucer.

"How about it, Cloud?" Cait continued to their leader, who stood at the foot of the grand staircase, his bright hair contrasting against the blood-red of the carpeted steps. "Tell us what's happened so far, I wasn't here at the beginning."

"I'm for it," Cid called from his chair. "I have even less a clue than the rest of yer."

"I've been here since the start, and I still don't know what the fuck's goin' on," Barret muttered, crossing his arms.

Cloud's vibrant blue eyes passed over the floor as he rubbed his neck, wondering where to begin. His sword was missing, presumably in his hotel room, and he looked strangely normal without it. How old was he? Cid forgot. About ten years younger than himself? Whatever; he _looked_ it, especially with those painfully vivid eyes. He reminded Cid of Vincent. Something was similar… Maybe it was the way they seemed to carry a huge weight over their shoulders, or the fact that they _both_ looked like they belonged to some pretty-boy-only band. How old was Vincent? Without his cape, the man looked younger than him, but older than Cloud. They _both_ seemed to bear more than they should carry at their ages…

"Alright," Cloud agreed, lowering his arm and raising his eyes to those around him. "We're going after Sephiroth," he started. "And he must be after the Promised Land…"

"The Promised Land?" Cid repeated, frowning.

Cloud turned his eyes on Cid's deeper blue ones. "A land full of mako energy… or at least, that's what the Shinra believe. I don't know if it actually exists."

"The Cetra returned to the Promised Land," Aerith stepped in. "A place that would bring them boundless happiness."

"Cetra. Sounds like some kinda disease," Barret said, scratching his throat.

"That's what the Ancients called themselves," Aerith told him. "Didn't you listen to the elders at Cosmo Canyon?" Barret shrugged. "You don't _know_ where the Promised Land is… you search and travel, until you _feel_ it. Then you'll just know, 'this is the Promised Land'…"

"Aerith… can you feel it?" Cloud asked.

The flower girl nodded. "I think so."

Cid was confused for a second until he recalled Tifa telling him that Aerith was actually a descendent of the Ancients. Hard to believe, but entirely possible… he supposed.

"Sephiroth is searching for the Promised Land… is that it?" Tifa questioned. From her position on Cloud's left she had been silent until then. Like her fellow female companion, she'd donned another set of clothing. The Hotel provided the good opportunity to clean off, and no one more appreciated it than the girls. Even Yuffie looked cleaner, but she remained in her original gear.

"That and the other thing he's searching for…" Aerith told her.

"The Black materia," Cloud finished.

This was new to Cid. He'd heard them mention this Black materia during their travel to Gold Saucer, but he'd never heard _what_ it was.

"I heard from Dio that a man in a black cape was looking for the Black materia," Cait said from his mog.

"What's up with the black capes?" Tifa asked no one in particular. "How many people with black capes and number tattoos are there?"

Red lifted his head from near Cid's side. "… You know, of course… my number is thirteen."

"How did ya get that tattoo?" Barret asked.

"… Hojo," Red answered simply. "Everything else is war scars, but the number was done by Hojo."

Cid took a good look at Red's missing eye and the various other marring on his fur, wondering what life the hound had led before meeting Avalanche. He'd never really heard anything about Red's past, other than he lived at Cosmo Canyon with his Grandpa. He hadn't known Hojo had got his dirty hands on Red, as well. So Red's mysterious tattoo was the work of that madman? Did Vincent have a tattoo?

"So there're at least thirteen…" Tifa stated.

"You know… I think Hojo did something to those men in the black capes," Aerith said suddenly, her large green eyes focused somewhere on the wall near Cid. She turned them on everyone else. "But I don't know what it has to do with Sephiroth…"

"That's why we're just going after Sephiroth," Cloud said, folding his arms. "Forget Shinra for the time being."

"And…" Aerith began, but stopped herself. Her hands rose to her face. "I'm sorry, forget it…" Her voice was softer, quieter, as though she was recalling something she didn't want to. "I'm going to bed now…" And with that, she hurried to the stairs and rushed up them, disappearing into the dark hallway above. Everyone was vaguely confused by her sudden change of emotion.

"What was that about?" Cait asked the room. No one could answer.

As they continued to talk, their voices became nothing more than a droning in the background as Cid's mind began to waver between consciousness and sleep. He was honestly bored with the talk, and the luring call of comfortable darkness was much more enticing. He was happily dozing when a deep voice brought him back into the land of consciousness.

"Cid… let's go back to our room…"

Cid's eyes blinked open to find Vincent by his side, looking down at him with something akin to loyal patience. Glancing around the room, the pilot saw that Yuffie had disappeared and there was a deflated tension in the air between the remaining members of the team. Whatever he'd missed, he was glad of it.

Getting up, he gave a long stretch and stifled another yawn before nodding his head at his roommate to gesture they leave. He followed Vincent's tall figure from the lobby, up the stairs, leaving the rest of them to avoid each other's gazes awkwardly.

Their room was nice and cozy temperature-wise, making Cid's head feel heavier with sleep. He kicked off his boots clumsily and collapsed onto the welcoming bed.

"Yer cape'll dry overnight if they keep this heat goin'," Cid mumbled, a forearm over his eyes, too tired to even undress. He received no response, but he could hear the heavy rustle of the cape being removed somewhere to his right, near the second bed. His focus started to waver as sleep began dragging him back, but before he went, he had one last thing to say. "Yer c'n sleep this time, y' know?... Don't care if yer don' need food… _everyone_ needs sleep…" His hand slowly fell from his forehead to his chest, comfortable for the night, and in his foggy sleep-hazed mind, managed to murmur, "…_I_ won' hear yer scream…"

/


	6. Traitor

**Journey**

/

The next morning brought some disturbing news. Cid awoke refreshed and feeling good, having slept like a log. His blond hair was tousled and tickled his forehead, but a run through with his hand set it back into its usual style.

Vincent was sat on his bed, this time facing the pilot. His cape and headband were both fully dry; perhaps that was why he now chose to face Cid, because he had the protection of his mantle to obscure his face. The captain noticed that the man's bed had not been slept in, and the shadows under the gunman's eyes remained. Why wouldn't he sleep?

They left their room a few minutes later and found everyone but Cloud waiting for them in the lobby. A couple of strangers were passing through, gone a second later as the two men joined their companions. Even for a morning, the Ghost Hotel was spooky.

"What's up?" Cid asked, observing everyone's grim expressions. When he asked, most of them looked at Cait Sith. No, not looked. Glared.

"We've got a fuckin' _traitor_ in our team," Barret answered through gritted teeth, fists balled, muscles bulging. His dark eyes were trained on the cat and he looked ready to throttle it.

Cid stepped forward. "What?"

Cait Sith turned his feline face to the pilot. "I'm with Shinra," he said, his usual jolly tone absent. "I was instructed to follow you and foil your attempts to get in Shinra's way. My real body's back in Midgar, controlling what you see before you. I can't tell you my real name, so please don't ask me."

Cid stared. Not the morning he had been expecting.

"He stole the Keystone," Aerith stated, eyeing the cat uncertainly. "And handed it to Shinra last night. Whoever he is, he's using Marlene as a _hostage_, so he _has_ to come with us…"

Cid was about to ask who the hell was Marlene, but he remembered – Barret's daughter. No wonder he looked so pissed off.

"I'm not entirely your enemy," Cait said, holding his palms out in some redundant gesture of peace, probably sensing Cid's anger, too. "Since seeing what you've been doing, what you _plan_ to do… you don't get paid, you don't get praised, yet you still risk your lives… Seeing that makes me… It just makes me think about my life. I don't think I'd feel too good if things ended as they are now."

"Save all that fuckin' shit," Barret snapped. "How do you justify kidnappin' my lil' girl?"

"I didn't want to, but I _had_ to," Cait Sith replied guiltily. "Just let me continue with you to the Temple of Ancients and no harm will come to her."

Barret looked like he wanted nothing more than to grab the cat and twist it in half. But the robot was the only link to his daughter right now, and he managed to restrain his anger.

"Well… this can't be helped," Tifa sighed. "Cait Sith goes with us, in return for Marlene's safety." She turned her deep brown eyes on the cat, a meaningful look in her gaze.

"You have my word," the cat said.

"That don't mean fuck all," Barrat growled.

The tense atmosphere was interrupted by the arrival of Cloud, who, Cid pondered, wasn't usually the last one up. But, they _were_ in a theme park, so maybe the kid finally loosened up and had some fun last night.

"Cloud, what took you so long?" Cait Sith asked, sounding very much like his old self, as though the previous conversation had never happened. Cid wondered if Cloud didn't know, but that was answered for him by the way the kid looked at Cait. "About the Temple of the Ancients, I think if we take the _Tiny Bronco_ east towards the sea we should be able to find it."

Cloud stared at the Cat in much the same way someone stares at a stranger they've taken an immediate disliking to. He looked a little rough this morning, probably unable to sleep knowing the entire team had been betrayed by one of their own, and never knowing if it'll happen again. Cid, who had been a team leader pretty much most of his life, understood the pressure of treachery. He recalled a few unwelcomed memories in his past, knowing how difficult it was to catch out the disloyal members; they were always such good actors. And although Cid's past experience hadn't involved anything as deep as this adventure, it was essentially the same.

"Well then…" Cait Sith continued, ignoring the fragile air between them all. "Shall we get going?"

/

Cid called in a favor a few minutes later, using Cloud's cell phone to contact a friend. He conversed with the man for a minute before cutting off the transmission and turning to the nearest team members. Vincent, he noticed, had cocked his head slightly and was looking suspiciously at the PHS.

"Brent's gonna tow the _Tiny Bronco_ up the mainland river, under the mountains and into the East straight," Cid told Cloud, tossing him his phone. "He's got a boat, so that should take him 'til tomorrow mornin' once he finds it. Then he'll ferry us across to the east continent."

"Okay…"Cloud put his phone back into his pocket. "It'll take us longer than morning to reach the straight from North Coral..."

"Unless we can convince Dio to let us pass through the desert," Tifa said, stepping closer to include herself in the conversation. Her original clothing was back on, looking fresh and clean. She was pulling on her gloves as she spoke.

"We'd need a guide," Cloud replied, contemplating this option.

Cid, who had never been in Gold Saucer before, didn't even know it was possible to travel across the desert surrounding Gold Saucer. He only guessed that it had never been recommended.

Cloud, Tifa and Cid left the others waiting in the games area to seek out the owner of the park. They made their way to the Battle Arena, asking the woman behind the registration desk. She was a plump but dreary looking lady at first impression, but once engaged in conversation perked up considerable. Cid figured she disliked having no one to converse with. She used the phone to contact Dio, who in a few short minutes later appeared. They managed to persuade the scantily-clad man to allow them a guide through the desert, but not for free.

"You're Cid Highwind," Dio turned to Cid, (who could quite safely admit already knew that), with the realization that he should have known when he _first_ saw Cid. "The famous pilot from Rocket Town – ain't this a bit of good luck?" That was debatable. "In exchange for my lending you a guide, I would like to request that, when your journey is over, you build me a private plane. I have _all_ this," he opened is palms, gesturing Gold Saucer," but sometimes, I just wanna get away, you know? Payment is not a problem," he assured Cid. "But I want free reign in the design."

Cid didn't like Dio, but his offer was welcome; at least, if he was still _alive_ when the journey was over. He accepted the terms and they were introduced to their guide: A man who was certainly dressed for desert trekking, about as tall as Cid but not as muscular, and looked about as cheery as Cid did without his smokes.

Not a happy chappy.

They collected the rest of their group from the gaming area (prying away Yuffie from a snowboard simulator – literally) and followed their guide to the bowels of Gold Saucer. It took them half an hour to descend the theme park and out into the warm, sandy air.

Cid blinked against the drying wind and sudden temperature change. Behind them was some sort of enclosed camp, and the people milling about there looked miserable. Their guide suggested that they should hurry before the sun reached its highest peak. He gave Vincent's leather an eyeball while saying this.

The trek was long; hot and harder than it looked. The sand dunes were soft and shifted with the wind, making walking difficult and seeing troublesome. Their guide took them the most accessible route he knew – so he said – and wouldn't let them stop to rest. Their sight-seeing consisted of sand, rocks, boulders and more sand. Cid would rather have trekked back to North Coral and braved the longer route from there than endure the harsh climate they were battling now. After a few hours, greenery began lining the horizon, and a fresh surge of energy found them all. Avalanche, as a whole, noticed with some dark satisfaction that Cait Sith and his mog found it the hardest to wade through the sand, and thus fell behind considerably. No one slowed to accompany him.

Cid broke out his second water canteen and gulped down the warm liquid rapidly, his Adam's apple bobbed as his neck craned up. He would have finished it all, but remembered Vincent didn't carry one, and he hadn't noticed anyone else offer him water the entire journey. Looking behind him, Cid saw the gunman brining up the rear of the non-traitorous members of Avalanche. He had a nagging suspicion that sleep-deprivation and thirst were slowing him. Not to mention the man was probably sweating out half his body weight in that leather.

"Catch," Cid called, throwing the capped canteen to the man, who caught it by reaction. Cid had learnt that to offer the man gave him the chance to refuse. To 'force upon' the man didn't really give him that option. It was for his own benefit, in the end.

Without waiting to watch Vincent drink, Cid turned back and continued to march behind Cloud, eyeing the growing shapes of the trees in the distance. The sand was sturdier as they neared the end of the desert, providing less resistance and giving them a better boost to their strides. After that, the greenery seemed to walk to _them_.

When they finally stepped onto the thin grass and stony ground, Barret and the girls collapsed alongside a large, smooth angled slab, and Cid slumped against the side of it, sinking down onto his backside. His feet ached, he was sweating like a pig, and there were blisters on his toes that had gained their own pulse. Still, he wouldn't complain.

Red flopped down beside Cid, panting hard, and the pilot felt a pang of pity for the guy – that fur must be hell. At least clothing could be removed; Red had no such luxury.

"This is where I leave you," the guide announced. With that, he turned and walked away, disappearing behind the many rocks and boulders. He obviously wasn't a social man.

"Does anyone have any more waaaateeer?" Yuffie half asked, half moaned.

"Here," Cloud handed her his canteen, which she grabbed from his pale hands and gulped down far faster than anyone could blink. The young blond settled down near her, looking much less exhausted than _they_ all were.

"There's a small village on the straight," Barret said, his voice tired and dry, scratchy as though the sand had invaded his vocal cords. "Stony Willows. We can refill our canteens there. It ain't far away."

"Aaaw…I caaaan't maaaake iiiit…" Yuffie whined, eyes closed.

"Sure ya can," Barret told her. "Ya younger than all of _us_!"

As usual, Barret and Yuffie began their own little argument that expended what little energy they had left. Cid huffed in amusement as he listened, before catching an ear in on the other two girls' conversation.

"Owch, I think I got burnt," Tifa observed, checking out the part of her chest that was uncovered. It looked red – the kind of red that would blossom into an angry burn.

"Likewise," Aerith replied, checking her own skin.

Cid sighed, closing his eyes and leaning his head against the cool rock side. He was craving a cigarette, but refused to use any until later in the day. It was a controlled attempt to save his smokes, in the event they didn't come across another stock before his current packet was finished. After a few seconds, he sensed a familiar presence near him, sharing the shade he was cooling in.

"Yer get scorched, too?"

As expected, his answer was delayed by a few seconds. "No."

Cid opened his sky blue eyes and found Vincent's. "That's hard to believe. Someone as pale as you…"

"Do pale human's burn easier?" Red asked curiously, flicking his tail in interest as he looked up at the pilot.

"Generally, yeah," Cid smiled ruggedly. "I might darken a shade, but if Vincent here wasn't covered by that cape and that mess of hair, he'd be pretty red right now." He looked at the gunman, smirking. Vincent's crimson eyes watched him back from the edge of his mantle.

Fifteen minutes later Cloud got to his feet. "Alright guys, let's move," he called. "The sooner we get going, the sooner we can reach Stony Willows."

Cid stood, using his spear to hoist his sweaty body to his blistered feet, and noticed that Cait Sith had finally caught up to them. That explained why Cloud decided now was a good time to move. Before he could follow as they began trudging off, Vincent held out the now empty canteen Cid had thrown to him.

"Thank you," the gunman said.

Cid took it. "Don't be afraid to _ask_ for water next time," he admonished, though he smirked at Vincent as he clipped the canteen to his pants.

"Hm," Vincent hummed in amusement. "I won't."

Cid grinned mildly as he readjusted his weapon and turned away. It was like training a wild animal, he mused.

They took off again, leaving the dry desert behind and heading towards the forest before them. It was a dense jungle, almost but not quite as difficult to pass through as the desert. Small forest animals scurried away at their sounds, disappearing into the canopy of leaves or into the undergrowth.

"Suddenly I feel the urge to give chase," Red commented to no one as a small rodent raced across their path, watching the direction it had run off in.

Cid chuckled. "Go for it, might as well enjoy yerself."

Red did just that.

/

Stony Willows was a sparse village spanning over a good amount of area on the river straight. The entrance consisted of a waist-high picket fence that opened into a friendly looking population, all of whom smiled in greeting.

"Welcome," said a young woman carrying a barrel of fresh fish, some still squirming away amongst the others.

"Hello there," said another, passing by.

Avalanche nodded – and in the girls' case smiled – back at the friendly people going about their daily chores as the group made their way into the village. It was a busy place. Brick, straw and stone buildings created a strange miss-matched community with a jumble of old and new technologies, such as hover transportation and holo-screen boards announcing the village's events throughout the week. Cid scratched his stubble as he looked at the light boards, reading the data rolling on and off the screen. Apparently Stony Willows had an annual fishing competition that began next week. Cid touched the navigation to view past entries, and whistled at some of the more impressive catches. He'd never been a fishing fan even though he'd tried it once before. It just wasn't exhilarating enough for his tastes. Not like flying.

"Hey," Cloud's voice called his attention. When Cid looked over, the younger blond deliberately turned his bright blue eyes ahead, through the buildings to the river. Cid noticed there were passenger boats bobbing gently in the water.

"Why the fuck weren't they on the _other_ side of the river?" Cid demanded to no one as he approached Cloud, glaring at the large, white boats.

A young man passing by happened to hear his outburst. "There isn't a dock on the other side any more," he said, hefting a large box against his chest. "Any transportation business takes place this side, so if you wanna get from there to here, you gotta book it."

"Would'a' been nice if we'd've fuckin' known that," Cid grumbled. The man shrugged and took off again. Cid gave Cloud an exasperated look, and shook his head as they began moving on. However, he caught sight of Vincent in front of the holo-screen board, and watched as the tall man stared. His crimson eyes darted over the various features, seemingly hypnotized by the light and changing images. He raised his right hand slowly, fully intending to touch the screen, but hesitated. Something passed before his eyes and he lowered his arm, turning away from the board to find he was being watched. Cid shared a strange, searching gaze with the gunman, before turning away and following Cloud. His mind, however, remained locked in that stare…

/

Stony Willows was a lively, enthusiastic place. That night there was a festival by the river side, held in the plaza around a small stone statue of a willow tree. The sun had gone down, but the mood was far from dark. Many, many lanterns and oil torches illuminated the area, casting everything into a beautiful golden glow. Music filled the air, provided by a local band set up in front of the Stone Hall steps. Violins and other string instruments played cheerful, energetic music, of which many people were exuberantly dancing to. Stalls of home-made savories sat on one side, free for all. Benches had been placed here and there, but many people – those who were not up and about dancing or fetching food – were sat on the grassy banks just short of the river's reach, knelt on the stone-paved circumference of the willow statue, or perched on the Hall's stone banisters and walls. Everyone was enjoying themselves, clapping to the beat, jiggling their feet and talking vigorously.

Cid, sat on the grass with one knee bent and an arm slung over it, laughed as a local woman grabbed Barret's arm and pulled him into the ring of dancers. The dark man looked completely bewildered and glanced back over his shoulders for help that would never come.

"Watch this," Tifa giggled, talking loudly over the music even as she leaned over to Cid. "Barrat has two left feet!"

Disgruntled wasn't quite what described the muscular gunman as his poor attempts to dance were met with laughter. But his female partner wouldn't let him go, and with a jolly smile she drew him further into the dancing crowd, determined to make him enjoy it.

Beside Cid on the grass, Aerith was on her feet, energized by the atmosphere and cheers of the people all around. She grabbed Cloud's hand and pulled him to his feet, as well. Her cheery, hopeful face gave Cloud no chance to refuse, and the poor guy was led into the crowd. He was a stiff dancer, with awkward grace – but Aerith more than made up for his pitiful moves, skipping about with his hands in hers as if she were a child again.

A second later, a young man offered Tifa an arm – much more polite than the women's way of acquiring a dancer partner. The martial artist smiled pleasantly and took the hand before being whisked away. Her long hair flicked into the air.

"This is wonderful!" Cait Sith said, somewhere to Cid's south-west. No one replied.

The Captain glanced around, watching the lively festival of cheer and good will. He couldn't remember the last time he'd enjoyed himself, he couldn't even remember the last time he'd been to a festival. He loved them, he really did… it was funny how the things he liked so much were the things he rarely got to do.

Red was on his right side, watching the crowd with complete attention, his one eye glowing with delight. He caught Cid's blue ones and looked up at him, glad to be sharing the fun with the pilot. Cid ruffled the fur on his head, receiving a grin from the hound's muzzle; he was just a kid, really. Smiling back, Cid caught sight of Vincent a few yards away, stepping away from a young woman's advances. She wanted him to dance, but he shook his head, refusing her. Luckily, she wasn't as persistent as Barret's lady friend, so she wandered off in search of someone who _would_ participate with her. Vincent's red eyes followed after her, almost mournfully...

"Hey! Vincent." Cid called. The gunman turned his attention to the pilot, and Cid jerked his head, gesturing for him to approach. After a second's hesitation, the pale man walked over. "Sit down," the Captain told him, indicating the grass next to him. "They pounce on yer if they think yer alone." He offered a friendly smirk at the erect man, who blinked wearily, as though in resignation, and lowered himself on Cid's left, one long leg stretched out, the other folded. He sat back on an arm and watched the view from his new perspective. Cid couldn't help but gaze at him for a second longer. The firelight seemed to compliment his pale features to the point of beauty. Cid sincerely hoped he wasn't the first man to think that, and after another look at Vincent, decided he probably wasn't.

Yuffie returned with two stack loads of food, piled high on paper plates. She stepped over Vincent's pointed boot and handed one to Cid, who had bullied her into getting his own.

"_Here_, you geezer," she said, and darted away.

"What? You little shit!" He exclaimed, almost dropping his plate of food in a half-hearted attempt to get up and after her. She laughed as she danced away, eating as she went. He caught sight of Vincent watching him, with an expression of vague humor in his eyes. "What're _you_ laughin' at?" Cid sniped lightly, stabbing a piece of meat with a cocktail stick and tearing off a bite. The gunman turned his eyes back on the crowd, but the amusement, however indistinct, was still there.

Barret was the first of their dancers to return, looking a might bit embarrassed and panting lightly. Behind him the woman linked on to another as she skipped to the music, but her grin was definitely in Barret's direction.

"Shut _up_," Barret warned, before any of them could even speak. He slumped on Red's other side, and despite his surly attitude, Cid thought he looked like he _had_ had a bit of fun out there. Barret just wasn't the kind of man to admit it.

Cid smirked at him and turned his eyes on the crowd, spotting Cloud and Aerith twirling around. The kid had finally loosened up (somewhat) and seemed to be flowing better with his partner. Cid found himself thinking of Shera… she would love this festival. What had she been doing during his travels? Was she missing him? Did she think of him? Doubtful… But one day… one day, if all went well, he hoped he would be able to bring her to this festival. She deserved it, no matter how angry Cid was with her, she deserved some fun…

"Hey there, blondie," a feminine voice said from behind. They all looked over their shoulders to find a woman bending close to Cid, smiling kindly with a pretty face and long, curling hair. Considering Cid was the only blond there – actually, aside from Cloud, he was the only blond in the _village_ – it was a safe bet she was talking to him. "Wanna dance, handsome?"

"I don't dan –" Cid started, but Barret was speaking above him, with a louder voice –

"Good timin', he was just sayin' he didn't have anyone to _dance_ with." The dark man smirked, revenge shining in those dark eyes.

"Wh –?"

"Well good!" The woman grabbed the pilot's ungloved hand and hoisted him to his feet. He almost stood in his food, but managed to step over as she led him into the crowds. He was about to tell her no, he had a reputation of being a pilot, not a dancer, but the lively music and energetic mood had set his spirits differently that night, and so with the heart of someone open to new things, he took her smaller hands and waist and spun them to the beat, determined to show his friends (and companion) that he could be bad at something… but not embarrassed!

The night ended late, when the moon had disappeared behind clouds and everyone was too tired to dance any more. Avalanche stumbled and slumped happily to the inn that they had booked in at while the sounds of dying music floated in the air. Cid wouldn't know it until tomorrow, but his sleeping accommodation had originally been with Barret and Cloud this time, as the rooms contained three beds each. Half-asleep, he had grabbed the keys to the third room and told Vincent he was going straight to bed. The man followed him anyway, looking just as tired as Cid felt but trying desperately not to show it.

Cid managed to step out of his boots and take off all but his boxers this time before falling onto the soft, comfortable bed. The room was small width-wise, and there was only just enough room between all three beds to side-step. The bathroom was a few steps away from the end of the middle bed, which would have been ideal if Cid was drunk, as he'd be able to fall out of bed and straight into the sink.

Vincent took the bed near the window at the end, and by 'took', Cid meant stood by, as he gazed out at their surroundings. The pilot had a sneaking suspicion why he always did that… could it be he was scoping out the area for tactical purposes? Checking for escape routs and attack points? Very possible.

Swallowing to wet his dry throat, Cid wished he hadn't had all those salty, spicy meat strips and savories. He stumbled to the bathroom and stuck his head under the running tap, guzzling down water and feeling it cool his heated face. Once done, he returned to his bed and flopped on top of the covers, too hot to dig under them. A second later he was fast asleep, breathing softly.

/

He didn't know how long, but Cid awoke groggily some time later; either very late in the night, or very early in the morning. His throat was so dry it was almost painful, and he was dying for a drink again. He blinked his tired, dry eyes and shook his head to rid them of a few straying strands of hair. He climbed off his bed sluggishly and padded to the sink, turning it on and gulping it down, quenching the terrible thirst. When his belly was cold and full with water, he turned off the faucet and wiped his chin, feeling the alluring call of sleep.

When he stepped out into the bedroom, he stopped; his blue eyes on the furthest bed. Vincent was sat on top of the covers, back against the headboard. But his eyes were closed, and his chin, it seemed, was resting on his chest beneath that cape of his. He'd fallen asleep.

Cid stared for a moment longer. Vincent had _finally_ gone to sleep, knowingly or not – and the pilot felt a strange semblance of relief for him, however the Captain knew that such a position would create one hell of a sore neck in the morning, having experienced it himself. He moved over to the bed quietly, glad the man was finally getting some rest… but moving him could wake him, and that wasn't what Cid wanted. Nevertheless, he wasn't to leave him like _that_.

Gently, very gently (quite a feat for Cid), he managed to settle the man into a prone position, taking great care to move him as slowly as possible. Would he have done this for anyone else? Probably not; if they were stupid enough to sleep like this then they deserved a sore neck in the morning. Vincent, on the other hand… well… Cid didn't know why. He didn't know he had a kindly side, but perhaps that was what surfaced in him now.

The man's head lolled limply in the pillow once Cid's hand was out the way, and he was sure Vincent would sense the movement and wake. But he didn't. Cid sighed silently. He watched the man's sleeping face for a second, having never seen Vincent look so relaxed before, and then decided he'd seen more than he should have, and made his way back to his own bed. When his head hit the pillow, it took all of two seconds for sleep to find him again…

/

Cid shot awake to the sound of a scream. It was male, it was close, and once the foggy sleep in his mind had cleared, he realized who it had been.

Vincent was awake, sat up in his bed with his good hand over his face, breathing hard. His gauntlet was limp by his side, and he didn't appear to have noticed Cid. His panting was audible, ragged in the empty air, but it quickly trailed into silence as the man gained control over his breathing. He remained like that for a long minute, stilling his racing heart, summoning his shaky energy to reconstruct his composure.

Cid didn't move. He was intruding, he knew – despite it being a shared room, he shouldn't have heard what he'd heard, and shouldn't be seeing what he was seeing. It dawned on him. Why the man refused the sleep he so obviously needed. Vincent had nightmares. He didn't want to sleep… because he knew they'd be there, in the dark, waiting for him to succumb. Whatever hell he had gone through, it must have been _traumatizing_…

It was at that minute Vincent finally noticed the Captain. His eyes were the color of shocked amber in the dull light, and they swirled with the rare, painfully obvious torment he had experienced. Yet a blink was all it took to eradicate it from view, closing off the window to his soul. Vincent lowered his hand and watched Cid darkly – but carefully – before swinging his legs from the bed and standing. Without a word, and without another look, he had passed Cid and reached for the door handle.

"Wait," Cid said firmly. He was unused to feelings of sympathy, and sympathy's what he felt right then, whether he wanted to or not. But in trying to hide it he often overcompensated, and came off as being harsh. "…They're memories, aren't they?"

At this Vincent's face turned sharply in his direction, his eyes ablaze with warning, and anger not entirely directed at Cid. He was different, right then. _Very_ different. His aura was threatening, and something told Cid _danger_. Hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and his senses went haywire, sending goose bumps to rise on his arms. Something not human was watching him.

But the pilot affixed his blue eyes to those deep amber ones, meeting his fierce gaze with a strength of his own. Perhaps ignorance provided the Captain his arrogance – because it was quite clear at that moment that Vincent was not limited to the wrath of a man… Despite this, he knew it was still Vincent at that door. Cid may have overstepped his bounds, but he wouldn't back down.

The anger passed, and Vincent's body deflated slightly, losing the alarming intensity that had surrounded him a second ago. "It's not your concern." And with that, he was out the door and gone.

Cid contemplated what he had just witnessed, watching the door with a vague focus. That had been the first, real emotion expressed on those pale features, and it was safe to say that Cid had hit the nail on the head. His nightmares were memories… memories so horrific they made a grown man scream. Vincent's reaction to Cid's question was quite understandable. It was a subject that held a place of great pain in the man's heart, and Cid had no right to agitate it.

Sighing into the quiet air, Cid grabbed his watch and read the time. 06.09am. There was no point trying to return to sleep, everyone would be waking in a hour or so. He grabbed his clothes and pulled them all on, then, leaving his spear against the wall, left the room.

It was a dull, foggy morning. Visibility reached all of 70 yards ahead. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Cid trudged forward, with no specific destination in hand. A few people were already awake, and emerged from the heavy gray fog like ghosts. Many of them were elderly, but occasionally a young jogger would pass by, saluting a good morning. Cid decided that a morning jog sounded like a good idea. He tightened the laces on his boots and took off in an unknown direction, feeling the particles of thick air cling to his face and arms.

He didn't know where he ran to, but he had come to the village fence and vaulted over it, not once slowing his stride. Continuing on, he found himself running alongside the flat riverbank, enjoying the accompanying lapping of the waves as they rolled in from the ocean, merging from the misty atmosphere.

He came to a stop atop a mound of stones, looking down on the water and panting satisfactorily. He wished the fog wasn't so thick so he could gaze out at the river straight. On a clear day it was entirely possible to see the far side. And on a sunny day it must have been a sight to behold.

He turned and headed back, slower, thinking about his life and the things awaiting Avalanche along their journey. So far the only danger that had met them consisted of wildlife, and Cid couldn't help but suspect something worse was waiting for them down the road. The mention of the Temple of the Ancients brought a chill to his bones, despite Aerith's obvious excitement, but true to his usual outlook on life, it was useless trying to think ahead. It only led to worrying and doubts.

He returned to the village and found himself in the square by the stone willow tree, panting softly as he examined the impressive craftsmanship. Every leaf was detailed, and every branch was etched finely. However, the dispersed lighting of the dull morning did little to flatter the sculpture.

Cid made his way to the sounds of the lapping river, patting his pocket for his box of matches. The docks floated into view from the thick fog as he located it, and with them another shape, fluttering eerily in a non-existence wind. He recognized it immediately.

"Not much to look at," Cid broke the silence, stepping onto the wooden jetty beside his silent companion. He gestured to the wall of fog obscuring their view of the river as he fiddled with his carton of cigarettes.

Vincent said nothing, nor did he give the slightest indication he had heard. His red eyes blinked lethargically. It was hard to read his expression.

Cid struck a match and lit his cigarette, flicking the fire tip into the water. It hissed and died, floating on the waves where they both watched it bob. Taking a savoring draft on the nicotine, the Captain stuck his free hand back into his pocket.

"Completely different to last night," Cid commented, smoke pouring from his lips. "Looks creepy. Yer kinda mood, huh?"

Vincent's eyes shifted their point of focus just barely. Cid realized he wasn't going to get any response from him. Whatever nightmare he'd experienced it was obviously still playing on his mind. He wouldn't even look at the pilot.

Cid paused, his cigarette halfway to his lips for another inhale. Some little cogs in the back of his mind – the dusty ones that dealt with people – began turning as something occurred to him. Vincent was ashamed. No man likes to show weakness before another, and that was exactly what happened back in their room. Dignity was all he seemed to have.

Taking another drag on his cancer stick, Cid smiled just a little. He had never really found himself trying to understand another person, but like a puzzle piece, segments seemed to slot together unknowingly…

/

The fog had thinned just slightly by the time Avalanche had arisen. Cloud and Barret found Cid seated under the awning of a small café, enjoying a full breakfast. They joined him, looking hungrily at his meal as he finished off his second slice of toast. Cloud handed Cid's spear to him, having checked in on their room to find it the only occupant. Cid took it. At least it saved him a trip back to the inn.

Red arrived soon after. His fire-tipped tail penetrated the thick fog like a beacon, gaining many stares from various other villagers, including the two blonds and Barret. He cocked his head at them and then took a deep sniff, smelling the aroma saturating the air.

"If I ask, will they set down a plate for me?" He queried.

"I'll getcha something," Barret said, getting to his feet and lumbering away, barely able to squeeze between the small dainty tables crowded together.

A shrill ringing blared from Cloud's pocket, and he pulled out the small phone. He didn't recognize the number, but Cid did. He snatched the PHS from Cloud's hand and flicked open the device. Listening for a few moments, he uttered the words "Stony Willows", before terminating the call and tossing it back to their leader.

"Brent'll be here very soon," Cid said, dabbing his remaining piece of toast into the single egg yolk left on his plate.

"Why is he towing the _Tiny Bronco_ if _he's_ going to transport us?" Cloud asked, slipping the device back into his pants pocket.

Cid shook his head. "We might need the _Tiny Bronco_ after we get there. Brent ain't gonna drop everythin' to cart us where we need to go every time."

Cloud hesitantly agreed.

When the gang, minus Vincent, had gathered together, drawn to the café despite the fog, the last of them had barely finished their breakfast as someone approached.

"There's someone waiting for 'the guy with goggles'," the man said. His eyes found said objects on Cid's head. "He's got a floating plane with him."

"That's our boardin' call," Cid announced to the rest of the group, standing up. Aerith thanked the villager and they took off towards the docks. Vincent mysteriously merged to the back of the team, startling poor Yuffie.

Aside from brown hair, brown eyes, older in age and visibly scarred, Brent _looked_ like Cid. He even seemed to sport the same 5 O'clock shadow. However, Cid's accent still remained unique to himself, as proven by Brent's rather harsh, common lingo as he offered his friend a hearty greeting and clasped their hands together.

"Got yourself a new bunch of lackeys, eh?" the man grinned crudely, chewing on something stick-like and casting his dark eyes around the group.

"This time yer could call _me_ one'a' the lackeys," Cid grinned back.

Brent's boat was rather large, connecting itself to the jetty with its loading plank. It resembled a fishing trawler with several levels of cabins. The _Tiny Bronco_ was moored to the rear of the boat, christened _The_ _Tremble_, bobbing patiently in the waves. Cid's heart ached a little at her crippled appearance. She was meant for skies, not waters. He followed Brent on board and gestured for the rest to follow. The quicker they left the sooner they could find this Temple of the Ancients. _The Tremble_ set off as soon as her Captain gave the order, and they were soon leaving Stony Willows behind. Cid hoped he would be able to return one day. The ocean became a little rougher as they approached the end of the river, and the fog began to thin, making visibility easier.

The journey to the east continent was several hours long. Something that Yuffie was most displeased with. She hung over the railing by the side of the control cabin, looking as pale as the fog around them and trying hard not to hurl. She would often groan as a particularly high wave bounced the boat. Cid shook his head in either amusement or apathy, and passed her on the walkway, making his way to the rear, where stood the majority of Avalanche, watching the wake of the boat swirl about behind.

"Should get across by early evening," Cid said to everyone and no one, leaning against the side. "Do we have any clue where this Temple'll be?"

"We'll find it," Aerith said, smiling vaguely at a distance across the water.

Cid gave her a look and a shrug. "If yer say so."

"What do you think we'll find there?" Tifa asked, directing her question to the flower girl. Her long hair fluttered in the wind. Cid wondered how people dealt with so much hair.

Aerith tilted her head, pondering the query as the pink bow in her hair danced to the same breeze. "I really don't know…"

Cid watched the water spray jump and leap from the side of the boat, trying to dredge up some image of what could possibly be contained within the Temple. An altar came to mind. A grand, gold, ancient altar that the Ancients might have routinely attended once upon a time. What would it look like now? Not so much gold as dirty brown…

The boat lurched suddenly, throwing everyone backwards. Cid stumbled unceremoniously forward, almost bowling into Tifa, who managed to catch him just in time. He straightened up as a few curious murmurs were shared, and listened intently. Something deep and very large rumbled under the waves irritably. He grabbed the banister and looked over the side, watched a dark, indiscernible shape moving away beneath the surface.

"A sea beast," he said to himself.

Beside him, Aerith stood on tiptoes, trying to spy what he had seen. "I've never seen anything big enough to up settle a boat," she said in awe.

"If we'd have been on the _Tiny Bronco_ yer _would_ have!"

Somewhere behind them, Yuffie gave a mighty hurl, throwing up over the side. Cid turned away from the view, not looking forward to seeing her breakfast float past him.

The voyage continued uneventfully. Talk turned to the fun night they had experienced at Stony Willows, enticing even Yuffie from around the corner to join in; though she kept to the side. Cid found himself only half-listening. He wandered off around to the bow of the boat, eyeing the distance. At last, a thin strip of land lined the horizon, and although it was still a long way off, Cid was glad.

On his way to the cabin entryway, he found Vincent and Red gazing across the ocean from the walkway.

"Yer'll be glad to know land is ahoy," Cid said chummily as he parked himself on the wide railing next to Vincent, pulling out a cigarette

"Good," Red said, a look of relief on his face. "I'm going stir crazy. A boat is no place for my kind."

"Yeah, about that," Cid began, lighting a match. "_What is_ yer kind? Never seen any hound that can talk, and none that look _specifically_ like yer."

Red turned his eye on the ocean, his gaze of a thoughtful one. "I don't really know what you would call me. I seem to be the only one left, now."

"No family?"

"No… only my grandpa, but he isn't like me."

Cid refrained from taking a draft on his cigarette to contemplate Red's word. He sounded lonely, with a hint of regret mingled into his tone. What must it be like, to be so different, to be the only one? Cid had always been surrounded by people like him, he'd never been alone, therefore he couldn't really comprehend Red's deep longing. His single golden eye looked at the horizon from his perch on the banister, swirling with thoughts and emotions.

"Perhaps out there are others like you, hidden in some small corner of the world, Nanaki," Vincent at last spoke up, looking out across the sea. His eyes were a startling red, more vibrant that that of his fluttering cape.

Cid frowned. "Nanaki? Whassat?"

Red raised his muzzle. "Nanaki is my given name," he explained simply.

Cid raised an eyebrow and sucked on his cigarette. "Shit. That's somethin' I didn't know. Red's a nickname, then, huh?"

Red nodded, his feather ornament bobbing with the motion. "Sort of. Hojo named me Red XIII for his experiments. When Avalanche rescued me it just stuck."

Cid watched him, noticing that the hound never gave any indication of pain at the hand of Hojo. Vincent, on the other hand…

"I don't mind either name," Red continued. "Just exclude XIII."

"Gotcha," Cid said, turning his lips into a quirky smile. Red returned it. Vincent did not.

Nearly an hour later their boating travels came to an end, much to the relief of everyone. _The_ _Tremble_ managed to pull alongside a rather high bank in the straight of a small river, allowing her to deliver her passengers right onto land. She wouldn't have made it close in the shallow shores.

Brent untied the _Tiny Bronco_ and threw Cid the line. "You better get buildin' yourself another plane, my friend," he laughed as _The Tremble_ began moving away again. "She ain't going to last long like that."

Cid waved him off, but didn't reply, turning his back on the departing boat as he pulled taut the rope and wound it around a nearby tree branch, securing his aircraft from the currents of the ocean. When he turned back, everyone was watching the boat disappear, as though civilization was floating away on _The Tremble_. In a way, he was. The south west of the eastern continent was very much unknown territory. They were on their own.

"Let's go," Cloud said, his voice no louder than normal, yet it cut through the air like a shout. He turned away from the sea to Aerith. "Do you sense anything?"

The flower girl nodded slowly, her eyes traveling around her as though she could sense things she could not see. "Let's go in that direction," she pointed, seeming to feel whatever phenomenon emanating around was strongest from there.

"After you," Tifa said, gesturing for the older girl to lead the way.

As Aerith took the front alongside Cloud, the group gained a hushed atmosphere as they entered the dense forest. Even Yuffie remained quiet as they stepped into a territory so few had explored…

/


	7. Forest Fights

**Journey**

A.N: Thanks for your reviews, much appreciated. Hope you enjoy this chapter, too. Btw, this story is self-proofed, so if you do spot any mistakes, as I'm sure there are (despite how much I read through) let me know, thanks.

/

The trek through the dense forest was a short one, spanning barely an hour before they emerged onto a short plain. From their higher altitude they could observe the land ahead as it sloped down gently. Many small areas of woodland awaited them, but behind the smattering of trees and interspaced plains loomed a vast, great forest, wild and thick, and they knew their destination was in there. Somewhere. It took them merely a few hours to cross the space between, but eventually they came upon the thick jungle, entering it without hesitation, although a shadow of feeling passed through them all that neither one of them cared to acknowledge.

Sunlight dappled the overgrown forestry floor, speckling the high grasses and bushes with dazzling spots of sunlight. It was quite exotic. Birds called and chirped (and occasionally shrieked) from around them, providing the forest with invisible life. New plant species and strange trees grew everywhere. They were cautious as they went, knowing it was possible new breeds of monster could be lurking anywhere, small or large.

"Oh wow," Aerith gushed some time later, as she stepped over a moss-encrusted stone to hover over a patch of bright orange flowers. Their petals were large and from the center sprouted thin, long stamen that fluttered in the air current she caused. "Aren't these beautiful?"

"Yeah, an' most likely poisonous," Barret said as they all stopped to await the end of her observation.

"You're so negative, Barret," she said, throwing him a smile over her shoulder.

They resumed their course through the wilderness, putting many miles behind them until eventually they had walked far enough. Tired and hungry, they agreed to settle down once they had found a suitable clearing where they could erect the three foldout tents that Barret had taken to carrying during their travels. It was awkward, but eventually Cid and Barret had managed to raise them on the somewhat uneven ground.

"How in the hell do all three of you girls get in that shitty little tent?" Cid asked, stepping back onto one hip and propping his hand on it.

"We're small," Tifa answered with a smile, arranging dry wood for a small fire as Red cleared away the surrounding ground for a safe fire. "And besides, unlike you men, we don't mind snuggling."

"Now there's an image," Cid approved.

He quickly dipped his head a she threw a broken stick at him, and he stepped up onto a mossy rock to avoid any more. He noticed that Yuffie was disappearing amongst the trees and called out for her not to wander off. She came back with a dismissive reply. Returning his attention to their clearing, Cid's eyes fell upon Vincent, and he chuckled.

"Looks like yer not as stealthy as I thought yer were," he jested as he approached with a grin plastered on his face, his eyes on the leaves tucked in Vincent's long hair. He reached out impulsively to remove them, but his action caused the man to recoil, giving him a questioning stare. "Yer got fuckin' _leaves_ in yer hair," Cid explained a little harshly, forgetting that, although a simple gesture to anyone else, invading Vincent's personal space with a hand was not so straightforward.

Vincent brushed a hand through his own hair, attempting to loosen the foliage from his tresses. He failed.

Cid shook his head, made a face, and raised his hand again between them, a silent request to pick out the leaves with permission.

Obviously not wanting to turn such a trivial gesture into something potentially arguable, Vincent sighed nasally and lowered his own hand compliantly. The pilot again reached out, and plucked the green leaves from the man's tangled hair. He showed the greenery to Vincent as proof, before dropping them in front of him.

"When's the last time yer combed that fuckin' mess?" Cid demanded as he felt for his cigarettes and brought one out, needing his nicotine fix.

"I am not used to long hair," Vincent explained, eyeing the tips of his bangs.

Cid lit his stick and took a quick drag. "'Used to'? What'd it do, grow over night one day? Get the girls to braid it, I'm sure they'd love that." He flashed Vincent another grin.

"_I_ would not," Vincent replied dryly. Cid laughed.

/

The night fell quickly, blanketing the forest in pools of black shadows. In the day it had appeared mysterious, almost enchanted; in the night it threatened to swallow wanders whole, hosting pits of endless voids from whence there was no return. Leant against a moss-covered tree trunk, Cid watched the black shadows as a focus for his thoughts, half-listening to the noises of Avalanche's little campsite behind him. A fire had been made before the three tents, and everyone was sat around it, roasting their stick-meats from the little animals they had managed to catch earlier that day. Luckily, some species were familiar, so eating without the risk of poison was a plus.

"Ciiiiid – Barret's eating your meat!" Yuffie called.

"There's shit-loads left," Barret's response was muffled, his mouth full of meat. True, they had caught plenty, so Cid wasn't too concerned.

"Ew, you just spat that out."

"Like it matters."

Cid shook his head, his thoughts disrupted. He turned back to the warmth of the fire and joined the rest of the team around the golden glow, taking a seat on the uneven terrain as Tifa tried to quell the growing arguments between Yuffie and Barret. It only brought her into it.

"Would yer just shut the fuck up?" Cid groaned at the ninja teenager. "Yer like a wailing Crail – yer don't _stop_."

Of course, this remark guaranteed him an invitation into the argument, and they were all soon passing insults back and forth. Thankfully, conversation merged to jokes, and eventually stories began to infuse the banter; fiction and real life. Cid found himself with probably the most to say about his past adventures and pilot stories that were actually interesting, but he didn't feel like recounting them all. Cloud, he noticed, had nothing to say, and Tifa's encouraged 'didn't we?' and 'do you remember?' couldn't even bring a light to his eyes. It was as if the kid couldn't remember anything she was telling them about, even though he had supposedly been there…

When the silence began to settle, and no one had any more interesting tales to tell, Yuffie claimed Cid's attention by leaning on her thighs and staring straight at Vincent, saying, "You must have some good Turk stories, Vincent. Let's here some!"

A Turk? Vincent? That was news. Although, it wasn't as surprising as it should have been. Cid guessed Vincent had come from some experienced background, what with his sharp shooting skills and paranoid mannerisms.

There was a quiet in the air that possessed a suffocating quality as Yuffie awaited some form of story telling, and the others watched the gunman with a careful gaze, almost hopeful the silent man would comply.

"I prefer not to disclose that part of my life," Vincent replied coldly, his sharp red eyes shooting the girl, what Cid could call, a semi-warning look.

As the ninja, completely unhindered by the man's unfriendly nature, moaned and continued to pry – provoking the others to try and sway her attention to someone else – Cid wondered why Vincent was so cold to them all. Granted, he obviously wasn't comfortable with people, but they had been traveling together for nearly two weeks, now. That kind of proximity to people usually created bonds within a group, a toleration at the least. Vincent deliberately maintained the cold distance between them, and made no show of concealing this fact. Unfortunately for him, Cid seemed to be the one closing it; slowly but surely.

They took to their tents earlier that night, so they could awake with dawn the following morning and set off sooner. They were eager to reach the Temple before Shinra could find it. If Cait Sith was communicating with the corrupt company, they could be right behind Avalanche. The three girls snuggled into the middle tent, Cloud and Barret into another. Red had chosen to sleep outside by the girl's tent, and Cait Sith switched off between the two occupied tents. Cid, who returned from the trees a few meters away to relive himself, crawled into the last tent and collapsed on the uneven floor, feeling a little tired. He shifted onto his side and rested his head on his arm, trying to get comfortable. He should have told Red to share his tent, as it was unlikely Vincent would sleep that night, and at least he could have used the furball as a pillow.

He dozed off a few minutes later into a light sleep, but found his eyelids slipping open a short time later. He could still hear the crackling of the fire, and the rustle of someone moving, most likely Vincent. His arm felt numb where he'd been leaning on it, and after a second decided to get up.

Vincent was sat against a tree trunk atop a higher mound of mossy rocks, watching the fire glow. His eyes shifted to Cid's as the pilot emerged from the tent, but returned passively to the flames. Cid reckoned he still looked tired.

"Don't yer get bored?" Cid questioned, stepping over a protruding stone to where the sack of leftover meat was tightly wrapped, stored away under a cool rock. He took it back to where he was seated previously and proceeded to skewer and cook it over the fire, feeling hungry.

"I have plenty to think about," Vincent answered, his deep voice emotionless.

"Maybe that's yer _problem_," Cid muttered, raising a single eyebrow at the man as the fire licked at his slice of meat. He shifted his leg and looked directly at the former Turk. "Look, Vincent, I can't pretend to know what hell yer've been through, and I won't fuckin' try… I ain't no shrink, but even _I_ can see that yer ain't doin' yerself any favors."

The man watched him unnervingly, like a predator whose prey has stumbled into its den. Cid wondered if Vincent was going to shoot him – a possibility not entirely far fetched. It wouldn't have been so bad if the man expressed anger like normal people, at least Cid could anticipate anger.

"You seem to think I should be trying to reconstruct my life." Vincent said darkly.

Cid stared back. "Don't yer want to?"

Something conflicting passed behind those red eyes, and Vincent turned away his gaze uncertainly. "I have other priorities."

"What the fuck is more important than yer life? Don't yer wanna be happy?"

"I don't deserve happiness…"

Cid frowned, unaware his meat was on fire. "Why the fuck would yer say that?"

"…That's none of your business," Vincent replied, regaining his darkly atmosphere.

Cid made a face, restraining a few harsh obscenities. "Hmph. No one wants to be miserable, Vincent, no matter _what_ they fuckin' say. After this fiasco yer've got plenty of time to work on it."

Vincent eyed him evenly. "You're assuming we'll survive."

"If we do, I'll show yer something' worth livin' for. When I build another plane, I'll drag yer ass up with me, whether yer want to or not," Cid fixed him with a challenging smirk. "Flying is _one_ joy in life yer can't pass on. That'll change yer outlook on life – if not put a fuckin' smile on yer face."

The gunman studied him, an air of intrigue now emanating from his aura. "You should keep your optimism in check. You might _jinx_ our destiny…"

Glad to see something resembling amusement dancing in those previously cold eyes, Cid grinned roguishly. "With _your_ shittin' pessimism, I think we're safe."

Vincent huffed quietly. "Balance, hm?"

"Damn right," Cid smirked.

"…I hope you like your meat crispy."

Cid frowned. "What?" It came to his attention right then that his charred food was merely a flame on a stick. Cid cringed despondently. "Aaah shit..." He watched it burn some more before the entire end half of the stick snapped, weakened by the fireball, and fell into the rest of the blaze. "Red can find that tomorrow." Grabbing another slab of cut meat from the sack, Cid attempted to cook his second midnight snack. A noise caught his attention only seconds after he had positioned his stick, and he turned his blue eyes on Vincent. "That yer _stomach_?"

The gunman placed a hand on his belly, looking quite puzzled and… pained? His stomach made yet another angry rumble.

"I thought yer said yer didn't need to eat?" Cid questioned, watching him carefully.

Vincent leant forward slightly, trying to alleviate whatever feeling he was experiencing. "I thought I didn't…but I… Agh!" He cried out, in obvious pain, doubling over where he sat while clutching his belly. His hair was thrown over his face.

Cid leapt to his feet, completely dumbfounded, and approached, hovering by him. "Vincent – hey, what's wrong?"

The man fell to his knees, breathing erratically. His head hung, hair trailing the dirty ground. "Wh…?" He panted. "What's happen – aarh!" A bolt of pain must have shot through his body, as his clawed hand gave out under him and he collapsed completely, groaning in distress, curling in on himself.

Cid grabbed his heaving shoulders. "What's _wrong?_" He demanded firmly.

"Tha – that meat," Vincent gasped. "I need it – nnh – give it to me…"

Cid was in the momentum of turning to comply – but froze, momentarily hypnotized by a sight he had never witnessed before. Vincent's eyes were gold…

The man cried out again, snapping Cid into action. He grabbed his slab of meant from its warm height above the fire, tore it from the stick and returned to the gunman's side, thrusting it into his claw.

"Fuckin' _eat_," he demanded, eager to see the pain vanish probably as much as Vincent himself.

The former Turk did just that. He tore into the meat like it would save his life (a concept Cid wouldn't rule out, after witnessing what he had), barely chewing a mouthful before hurriedly swallowing it. _Like an animal…_ Cid realized. Vincent's behavior was animalistic and – _fuck, are those fangs?_

The meat was soon gone, yet the pain seemed to remain. "More," Vincent groaned, his right arm twisted around his torso as though it might curb the stabbing pains.

"Yer'll have to wait 'til it's cooked," Cid told him, turning away to grab the rest of the meat.

"No," the gunman gasped. "Just give them to me."

Cid frowned at him, but obeyed nonetheless and handed Vincent a raw piece of meat. The man wolfed it down just as quickly, paying no mind to its uncooked state, tearing off mouthfuls of flesh. Cid watched silently, his blond brow knitted in faint concern and perplexity as Vincent binged on slice after slice – his body needing what he had denied it for so long – until he had consumed them all. After which, his palm now back on his stomach, he took a few audible, deep breaths, eyes closed. The pain had either lessened or gone.

There was a few seconds of utter silence between them, during which even the fire seemed to hush. Cid expanded his attention behind him to the tents, listening for any signs of awakening, surprised no one had heard the commotion. But they were a good eight yards from the sleeping team members, and they hadn't been particularly loud. Cid watched his companion carefully. He fully understood what had happened.

"I think yer should stick to regular meals," Cid said into the quiet.

Vincent raised his tousled-haired head and met Cid's gaze, his eyes now crimson. He looked a little shaken, he had probably never experienced such pain before. "Perhaps you are right…" He agreed stiffly, his voice quiet with reluctance.

While the man was compliant, Cid threw out another suggestion. "Maybe yer should sleep more often, too. Just a thought." A smile twitched at his lips as an image occurred to him. "Or yer might drop down comatose one day soon."

"…Hmm…"

He could see this was troubling Vincent. However, unlike the time of his nightmare, the gunman didn't seem to be concerned with Cid's presence… at least, not that the Captain could tell. Vincent's long hair had acquired a few mossy decorations, and his attention was far beyond the ground he was staring at. Aware he was probably intruding in some self-disgust session, Cid turned back to the fire, which was slowly dying.

"I'd appreciate if you didn't mention this to anyone," Vincent said, his tone cold and almost accusing, as though Cid had already planned to.

Cid turned back, a light glare on his brow. "Yer think I _would?_ Ain't none of their fuckin' business, and it ain't mine." _Whatever the hell yer are… it ain't _anyone's_ business…_ The Captain proceeded to his tent. Red, he noticed, twitched in his sleep where he lay between the tents.

"Highwind…"

Cid paused, cocking his head to his shoulder, waiting.

"Thank you."

Cid turned to fix Vincent a look. "Friends call me _Cid_ or _Captain... _hell, even _Chief;_ remember that." He flashed a grin, turned, and disappeared into his tent, shutting out the warmth of the fire. He fell asleep easily that night.

/

They were up with the crack of dawn that morning. It was warm and humid, the latter of which Cid hated. He helped pack away the tents as the girls finished off their own rationed food – having no other choice since the meat had vanished. Barret had demanded where it went, about to accuse Red – the most likely suspect – when Cid stepped up.

"I was fuckin' starving, so I helped myself," he said, shooting Barret a challenging gaze. "I'll getcha some more, so keep yer panties on."

It was at that point Vincent appeared from the depths of the forest, clutching several large dead birds about their necks. "Here." He threw the carcasses down on the floor before Barret.

Cid smirked at the dark man's expression. "Saves me a hunt."

They had their hearty breakfast, saving the rest of their rations, and left the clearing quickly, eager to reach the Temple before another nightfall if possible. Aerith was following her senses, but she couldn't determine a distance. She was certain they were in the right area, though, as confirmed by Cait Sith.

The route was difficult, and many a time they had to cut their own path through the dense growth. Animals chattered and called around them, some louder, some higher, others right above them.

"It's getting stronger," Aerith said suddenly, stopping to tune her senses into whatever she could feel in the air. She scanned the canopy, searching for her direction, and then turned to her right and continued forward without another word, a look of contained excitement on her fair features.

Some time later, as Cid was breaking out his last water canteen, they were all startled by several animals hissing aggressively from the treetops. Several primate creatures perched protectively behind thick trunks above them. Their beady little eyes were _all_ fixated on Vincent.

"Noisy little bastards," Cid swore as they all edged warily under them. The animals seemed to ignore the rest of the team, but when Vincent, who was last to follow the single file line, passed beneath them, they shied away fearfully, and their hissing was replaced with whimpering. They scarpered quickly. Avalanche continued, exchanging shifty, knowing looks. Except Cid. He shot Vincent a searching frown, curious why the animals had been afraid of him. The gunman's incensed eyes met his challengingly, burning with something Cid couldn't decipher. They turned away and Vincent brushed past Cid. _What the hell had the animals sensed?_

Their trek continued uneventful, although they found a pleasant natural spring trickling from a wall of rock a couple of hours later, where the girls insisted they stop and rest. Water canteens were refilled, and the aching on Cid's feet was giving a brief rest. The journey continued minutes later, ordered by an assiduous Cloud, who never once seemed to slow or tire. This he was berated for by Tifa.

"We're not all mako soldiers," she told him. "We have to rest more than you."

"Sorry…" He said distantly. "I just want to get there before Shinra."

Cait Sith, however, would not tell them Shinra's progress, feigning ignorance to their movements. He seemed genuinely sorry, but if there was one thing Cait Sith was good at, deception was it.

As they were preparing to resume their trek, stretching and rising to their feet, Cid's subconscious sensed something that took his mind a few seconds to catch. He raised his blue eyes to the leafy ceiling above them as Tifa and Aerith began a conversation with Barret, mumbling some yards behind him. Aside from their voices, the forest around them was still. _Silent_. Cid strained his ears as he slowly rose to his feet, feeling a tingling of unease drift through him. He caught sight of Vincent. He, too, had noticed the strange silence. No animals rustled, no birds sung. It was eerie.

Vincent's hand shot down to his gun just a split second before the forest exploded around them. The very trees seemed to bare down upon them, branches shaking, roots crawling. The girls ceased talking immediately, and Cloud leapt to action before even Barret could raise his gun arm. Cid already had his weapon in hand, and only when he watched Cloud take a mighty slash at the nearest threat did Cid realize what they were.

They camouflaged brilliantly with the forest colors and surroundings, making it difficult to spot them until they chose to move. They were huge, nasty insects, towering over Cloud as they brandished their antennae and chattered using high pitched noises that irritated Cid's bones. They were quick, and they knew how to maneuver around the forest.

"Watch out!" Yuffie shouted, gaining Cid's attention. She was calling to Barret, who had barely begun to heed her warning before the creature behind him had leapt, sinking its mandibles into his neck.

Cid thrust his spear in a timely manner as Barret reared back in surprise, and punctured the monster's abdomen. Green, gooey liquid spurted from the wound and it shrieked in pain, releasing Barret who stumbled away, clutching his neck and swearing viciously. It turned on Cid, angry and hungry, but he danced back, anticipating an attack. It seemed to consider him for a split second before its body inflated, as though taking a huge breath – and uttered the strangest, continuous wail Cid had ever heard. It tingled his ears in an uncomfortable way, but did little more than annoy him.

"That the best yer got?" Cid smirked, about to dash in and stab the creature still wailing, but a cry of distress from his east caught his attention and he glanced away sharply to the source.

Cloud had collapsed to one knee, his sword dropped to his feet and his hands planted desperately over his ears, his face was a twisted mask of pain – and to Cid's utmost surprise, behind Cloud, Vincent had done the same, his gun still clutched in his right hand, the talons of his left disappeared into his hair. Blood poured from his scalp.

"What the fuck?" Cid blurted, confounded.

"Cid!" Yuffie yelled. He turned back to find her clutching her ears, too, yet she seemed less pained than the two men. "Shut them up! It hurts!"

Being the only team member who wasn't fighting at that minute, he leapt back into action, determined to end whatever inaudible sound the monsters were emitting. He landed before the insect that had bitten Barret, and it ceased its strange vibrating mandibles to realize he wasn't affected. It jumped back, trying to elude the reach of Cid's long weapon, but Cid followed, blocking an aggressive lunge to his face before summoning his strength and hurling it aside. It hit a thick tree hard and slumped to the floor. However it was quick to recover, and crawled its way back up to full height. Cid dove for it, leading with the spear, using his full force to skewer it straight through until he had embedded his weapon in the tree behind. The monster shrieked in extreme pain, thrashing about with thin, multi-jointed legs; but it wouldn't die.

A razor sharp edge sliced through the air – and Cid had but a split second to leap out the way. "Shit!" He cursed, glaring at another huge insect barring down on him. Its forearms were edged with effective cutting blades, and it was fast. Fortunately, Cid had just proved to be faster. He danced from its line of attack as it slashed and swiped at him, shrieking angrily. Just beyond his line of vision, Tifa and Red were trying to put an end to the one insect that was still causing Cloud and Vincent considerable pain. They were thwarted as even more insect creatures joined the fray.

"Slice the bastards!" Barret yelled from somewhere behind Cid.

Gaining an idea, Cid managed to deftly evade his attacker, putting distance between them, and raced to where Cloud crouched, writhing on the ground. The pilot snatched up the younger man's sword, his own weapon still pinning the first thrashing insect to the tree.

"Gonna borrow this –" he half-told the kid (who couldn't hear him anyway) before jumping away quickly, not wanting to lead his angry assailant straight to the vulnerable Cloud. The sword was impressively heavy, to the point that it was almost too difficult to wield. Yet adrenaline provided Cid the strength he needed, and with a rapid slash at the oncoming insect, drove the sword straight down, cutting off the head of the monster. It slumped heavily to the floor as its head rolled away. Viscous liquid flowed from its exposed interior.

Yuffie's Twin Viper planed through the air before him suddenly, slicing into another oncoming insect that had been about to leap on him. The weapon cut right through its abdomen, liquid exploding from the impact, splattering Cid's left side. He made a face and turned to the little ninja.

"Thanks," he said, rolling his eyes.

"Be grateful, you chain-smoking coot," she shot back playfully, spinning to engage another monster.

"You little shit," Cid bit his words, muttering obscenities under his breath as he swung Cloud's sword around into a striking series of twirls, chopping bits off creatures as they rushed at him. Aerith stepped into his line of sight, battling a single insect that seemed to be the tallest one yet. She had little chance but to block its attacks, and unknowing to her she was backing right up to Vincent. He was in a lot of pain. Cid rushed forward, able to distract the creature with his approach and allowing Aerith to jab her lance into its exposed higher belly. It roared, turning to her, but in one swift arch, Cid had brought down the sword and chopped the fucker in half.

There were three left. Cid went straight for the creature emitting the sound that only Cloud, Vincent and Yuffie could hear. It backed away from his advance, its mandibles still vibrating, but refused to stop its silent sound wave attack. One cut was all it took to end its life. It didn't put up much of a fight.

Tifa and Red both managed to deal with the second one, having exterminated it a moment before Cid had. The one remaining insect left was being beaten into a bloody pulp by Barret, who was having too much fun for anyone to stop him. He calmed a second later when he noticed the quiet atmosphere, and wrung his hands of the excess liquid, raising to his feet. Aerith shook her head in mild amusement.

"Cloud," Tifa called softly, rushing to his side. The onslaught of whatever had bombarded his senses had left him disorientated and still pained. He released his head tenderly and blinked away his haziness, looking slightly ill. His friend helped him to his feet, on which he swayed uneasily.

"Those things came outta no where," Yuffie explained, watching the trees carefully around them for signs of more. The insect still writhing on the end of Cid's spear made the occasional angry noise, flurrying in a futile attempt to wriggle its way free. Cid took Cloud's sword and chopped it in half, ending its misery. He pulled out his spear and reattached it to his back. Only then did he look around them all, realizing how many insects were littered about.

"We better keep an eye out in case we come across more," Barret said, wincing as Aerith examined his wound.

Cid stepped over the carcasses and disturbed earth to crouch by Vincent's side. Red had sat by him, providing an amiable presence. "He alright?" Cid asked, assuming the man was either completely disorientated or unconscious.

"I'm fine," came the deep but quiet, almost slurred voice from under his matted hair. Vincent shifted, trying to stand. Cid took his arm and helped, bringing the man to his unsteady feet. He wobbled dangerously, but the pilot gripped his bicep as Vincent raised a hand to his head, his eyes mere slivers of red beneath his bandanna, his brow furrowed. Cid winced silently as he eyed the streams of drying blood down the left side of the man's head. He must have been gripping his head very hard… Reaching behind to unclasp a water canteen from his pants, Cid undid the top and held it before Vincent. "Here, drink some water. Might clear yer head."

As Vincent's shaky hand reached for the canteen, Cait Sith bounded over on his mog. Cid hadn't even noticed him during the fight. "What happened to Vincent and Cloud?"

"And me," Yuffie said, stepping closer, still eyeing the forest. "It was a _really_ high-pitched noise. It hurt my ears."

"It pained my ears, also," Red announced.

"Well you two have enhanced senses," Tifa explained to Cloud, still holding his arm. "I expect your hearings are more attuned."

"Why'd it hurt mine?" Yuffie asked, confused.

"High-frequency pitch," Cid explained, still holding up Vincent. "Everyone can hear it when they're kids, but when we get older we lose that ability. Young 'un's can hear anythin' between 20 hertz to 20,000. I expect they were blastin' out somethin' us over-twenties couldn't hear."

"You're pretty smart, Cid," Yuffie grinned.

Cid pointed at himself. "Mechanic, _duh_."

"We should get movin'," Barret suggested, his shoulder now healed thanks to Aerith. He grabbed his backpack, which he had dropped during the fight, and slung it over his shoulder.

"We…we just need a minute," Cloud said, reached for a near tree trunk to lean against. He slid down it into a sitting position and rested his head back, looking quite drained. "My head's buzzing…"

Aerith approached Vincent. "Let me look at your head," she offered, reaching for it. He turned it from her reach.

"It's fine," he mumbled weakly but stubbornly. He seemed to realize Cid's hand was still around his arm and looked at it, as though it had tightened. He pulled away feebly, in the pretense of heading for a tree to rest up, and Cid let go. Vincent fell against the trunk, wincing. His right hand reached to the left side of his head, hovering by the wounds he had inflicted. Cid wanted Aerith to cure them, but Vincent had refused once, and he would a second time, too. Stubborn bastard.

"If we meet any more," Cid began, looking at the sword in his other hand and returning it to Cloud. "We gotta cut 'em up as quick as possible."

"Agreed," Cloud said, taking his weapon back gratefully. He attached it to his back, feeling better with its reassuring weight.

They allowed the two mako-enhanced men to recover a few minutes more, and that was all they needed. With a constitution such as theirs, there was little they couldn't rapidly heal from. No sooner had they started walking again, picking their way through a particularly dense, overgrown part of the area, did Aerith turn up her eyes suddenly, listening.

"We're here," she whispered.

Cloud looked at her, about to ask something, but she rushed forward, paying little attention to the sharp branches and brambles hindering their path. She disappeared quickly into the depths despite their calls for her to stop.

"Aerith," Cloud called, rushing after her. Tifa followed in his wake. Cid was left to lead the remaining members, with Yuffie on his heals. She was eager to see what Aerith had raced after, and it was only a few seconds later, when they pushed apart the forestry foliage, did they step from the thick trees and gaze upon their destination.

"Wow…" Yuffie brushed past Cid, gawking in awe.

Before them, looming above the group like a patient monster, was the Temple. It wasn't gold, but damn, it was impressive. A length of many, many steps lined the face of the Temple, leading to the top level, where the only open doorway stood; it was the picture of ancient architecture. A solid, high wall of aged stone bordered the Temple from the one entrance they were facing. An old, rickety footbridge led the way from the jungle territory into that of the Ancient's, across a dried up but deep moat. Aerith was some yards away, her form frozen in anticipated wonderment.

"The Temple of the Ancients."

/


	8. Temple of the Ancients

**Journey**

AN: Hey, it's been a while. So much for the 2 week proposal. I was pretty busy, plus, this is version 3 of chapter 7. I uploaded versions 1 and 2 in my livejournal (the link can be found in my profile) if you wanna see what delayed me so long. I just had no inspiration for this chapter until I looked at it differently. Anyway, 'nough said, hope you enjoy this chapter and it was worth the wait.

/

Cid struck the wheel of his lighter and produced a small flame, tipping it to light the end of his cigarette – one of few that he had remaining. The first inhale was always a refreshing savor, and as he snapped the lid closed on the silver lighter he turned his sky blue eyes on the team, exhaling a lungful of smoke as he watched them argue.

"I want to go," Yuffie pleaded for the third time. "Pleeeeaaaase."

Cloud trained his vivid gaze on the young ninja, shadows throwing his fair face into a tense relief from the two fire-lit torches illuminating the party. "I'd appreciate it if you stayed and helped Red heal Tseng, Yuffie…"

Cid glanced at the corner of the small chamber they had all gathered in, to the silent, wounded Turk whom they had encountered in this strange place. Atop the Temple, at the height of the length of stairs, was the only arched entrance into the Temple. In this chamber they found Tseng of the Turks, beaten badly and on his own, leant against the altar in the center of the room. He had given them back the Keystone, warning them briefly of the danger he had found inside the Temple…

Sephiroth.

Yuffie was about to argue more, but Aerith shushed her with a few assuring words, quelling her futile attempts to join the small team. Cid took another drag on his cigarette, lazily watching as his teammates decided who should enter the Temple, for the room they were in was nothing more than an exterior chamber. He was curious, he had to admit. What was the Temple like? Would there be anything more than a crumbling architectural museum in there?

"I would like to go," Cait Sith said, jumping on the top of his mog transport. His long tail flickered in programmed excitement as Yuffie trudged over to the fallen Turk, taking her assortment of materia to his aid.

"I think you should stay," Cloud told him, his voice firm but soft. Cait's tail drooped. "I would rather Shinra wait out here."

The cat looked as if he would say something more, to argue. But he accepted Cloud's choice and nodded silently, slinking away to the entrance to await the second team's exit. Cid eyed him, wondering if his controller was disappointed.

"Vincent," Cloud turned his glowing eyes on Vincent's equally vivid ones. "Your senses would be an asset, but it's your choice."

Cid turned his attention on their silent member, who had stationed himself behind them all at the entrance and observed with passive interest. Since their arrival at the Temple, Vincent's attention had been divided to the air around him, and Cid suspected that he could sense whatever phenomenon Aerith could. Somehow.

"From one tomb to another," Vincent murmured to himself, his curiously red eyes falling to the space by the altar. Everyone was respectfully silent. "I wont volunteer, however if you need me I will go."

Cid huffed in quiet amusement. Sometimes the things that guy said tickled his funny bone.

Cloud nodded once. "Stay with the outside team. If anything happens to us inside, at least you all still have a chance to stop Sephiroth." He turned his eyes on Cid. "Cid, you're in charge of them…"

The Captain took out his cigarette. "Joy."

As Cloud, Aerith and Tifa stepped onto the platform of the altar, Barret stepped forward from Cid's left. "Hey… how the hell long do we wait for you to come out?"

Cloud patted his pocket. "We'll keep in touch, via phone."

Cid watched, transfixed, as the young leader raised the Keystone carefully, and placed it into the grooved slots on the top of the altar. For a moment the chamber was silent, and then the Keystone sunk deep into the glowing slots. A flash of light lit the room, brighter than that of the two torches, causing Vincent's eye to shy away under his bangs. A cry of surprise fled from Tifa's lips as she, Aerith and Cloud began to _sink_ into the floor.

Barret started forward, but Cid held out an arm. As they watched, it was obvious this strange method of transportation was concocted by the Ancients. Like quicksand, the trio sank into the ground and no more than a couple of seconds later was gone; the floor undisturbed.

"Creepy," Barret muttered.

/

A thin blanket of clouds had obscured the immediate sky above the Temple, reaching to the south horizon. Rain didn't so much fall as hung in the air as fine spray, noticed initially by the tiny pinpricks of cold sensation on Cid's arms. He cast his eyes skyward, still savoring the aftertaste of his finished cigarette. Fifteen minutes had passed since team one had disappeared into the Temple. Whatever they were facing in there, Cid hoped they wouldn't be too long… he only had three cigarettes left.

"You think Tseng will be okay?" Yuffie asked, gazing in a westerly direction where the Turk had hobbled off.

"He chose to go, so fuck 'im," Cid dismissed without turning around. The Shinra agent would undoubtedly find his way back to his team. "I'm more interested in that village he mentioned passin' through."

Red trotted to his side, his fur glistening with raindrops. "Perhaps it is worth the venture. We don't know how long they may take inside the temple."

Cid eyed the forest before them, listening to the sounds of the distant birds cawing and chirping from their various locations unseen. He looked down at the big furball and nodded. Killing some time wouldn't be such a bad idea. Maybe the village even sold cigarettes… or _something_ he could smoke.

He directed his attention to Vincent, by his right side. "Can yer sense people from far away?"

The man's cool crimsons eyes turned to his. "Am I to be your radar?" He asked, his deep voice smooth and impersonal. Fine drops of rain had collected along his pale cheekbones and – strange that Cid should notice – in the man's dark eyelashes. They looked like jewels, reflecting a pinprick of color from his unique eyes.

Cid smirked. "Call it what yer want, yer've got the best senses here."

Vincent watched him for a second, and Cid decided he didn't mind that strange gaze of observation. "My abilities are a little… unpredictable."

"We got Red's nose to fall back on," Cid jerked his head to indicate their four-legged member. He clapped his hands loudly, gaining everyone's attention. "Alright, guys, let's go find this damn village." He paused. "And get me some more damn cigarettes."

His team hefted their backpacks and weapons into place, and readied for another possibly long trek through the forest. Cid led the way with Red by his heels. Glancing back, he noticed Vincent had dropped to the rear of the team. Tactical position. Barret eyed him, suspicious of his presence behind them.

It was about forty-five minutes into their walk – with various wildlife encounters – when their human radar finally detected something. Cid, whose mind had been toying with the thought of lighting up yet another cigarette, was glad for the distraction.

Vincent's intense gaze rounded to their north-west. "Over there. Somewhere."

"Can't you be more specific?" Barret questioned, tilting his head in annoyance, turning to face the quiet man fully. Cid never noticed it before, but Barret was noticeably taller than Vincent when he cared to stand straight. And, obviously, considerably wider. The gaze he received was not one of warmth.

"I sense people," Vincent turned his crimson eyes on Cid's, ignoring Barret.

Cid changed direction. "Good enough." He trampled through the overgrowth, cutting a way through the thick vegetation with Yuffie on his heels, leading the team to a hopefully accessible village. Barret muttered under his breath as Cait began to hum an unknown tune. A few minutes later, Red trotted to his side.

"I smell the scent of humans," he announced softly, his one good eye twinkling in the patches of sunlight battling through the canopy.

Cid nodded in acknowledgement. "We must be close." And then he thought, _I just hope they aint cannibals… but Tseng probably would have mentioned that._

And they were close. A few minutes later revealed a gap in the dense forest, and emerging from the thinning bushes was a boundary fence, enclosing a small, quaint village and its surprised inhabitants. Luckily, as they discovered merely seconds later, the locals were friendly, despite their exclusion from the modern day life, and welcomed their guests with intrigued approach. Their clothing was fashioned from natural materials, with little sense of style and jewelry. They seemed particularly fascinated with Cait Sith and his mog, and even more so with Red once they were assured he was no threat. Their English was rough, yet surprisingly good for a population outside of civilization.

To Vincent's chagrin, the more bold and young locals were openly awestruck by his red eyes, pushing forward and breaking his personal space bubble to gain a better look at them. He sure didn't lack the nerve to show his aversion to this attention. They didn't seem to take the hint, though. Cid batted away a few experimental tugs on his blond hair and realized what it felt like to be an attraction.

"Hey – that's attached to my fuckin' head, yer know!"

The excited air was punctured quite suddenly by the shrill wail of a scream, tearing away everyone's attention. People rushed away in its direction, and Avalanche followed right on their heels, sensing a monster attack before they'd even seen it. Cid had barely taken ten steps when Vincent stopped abruptly, and his hands flew to his ears, face a mask of pain. _Ah shit,_ Cid thought. _Those things._

He ran to his side as Vincent began to collapse, grabbing his right arm before he could fall to the floor and almost tripping over the man's long cape ("whoa – fuck!"). He half-dragged the man to the safety of an impressively crafted earthen hut, and lowered him to the ground inside the doorway. Without looking at the pain on his face and trying to ignore the obviously tortured posture, Cid took off quickly, following the sounds of the commotion and gunfire, determined to find those damn creatures and end their irritating noise. Barret had already engaged the creatures by the sounds of it.

It was on the edge of the village where the attack was occurring. Cid raced in, spear in hand, leaping into the fray with more excitement than anticipation. The villagers were hefting hand-made spears, but more of their fighters appeared to be transfixed on the battle of their new guests, apparently more interested in their style than the threat.

Cid drove his spear into a large creature about to lunge for Yuffie, catching it unaware from behind. It hissed in pain before Cid withdrew his spear and sliced off its head with the top blade. Thick, slimly liquid stained the metal.

They were lucky. Five creatures had attacked the edge of the village, one had been slain before they had arrived, and Avalanche managed to finish off the remaining four. The battle was over before Cid had broken into a sweat. He was almost disappointed.

The villagers cheered and fussed over them, unwanted attention on Cid and Barret's part, but Yuffie and Cait seemed to enjoy it. Red appeared unbothered, but he did seem to enjoy the pets and strokes. They were tugged and pawed back to the village by the younger locals. The older generations smiled and began cleaning up the carcasses while others patched up the minor injuries gained in the fight. Cid managed to shrug off the attention and make his way to the hut where he had left their temporarily-disabled companion. He half expected the man to have vanished, yet there he still sat, looking much less pained.

"Could do with getting' yer some earmuff," Cid jested semi-seriously, approaching the seated man.

Vincent glanced up at him, his eyes for once devoid of their cold touch and in place of it was something almost… defeated; it disappeared quickly however. Although he managed to keep his casual face, Cid was surprised.

"I heard some of the locals sayin' they get a lot of minor beast attacks," Cid started, offering his hand to assist the gunman to his feet. "Yer'll probably get some action later," he assured him.

He thought Vincent would ignore his hand, considering the time it took for him to eye it. But he accepted, clasping Cid's bare palm with his right gloved one and allowing himself to be pulled upright. His eyes met Cid's in a silent passing of thanks.

They were interrupted at that point as the more persistent villagers found them. They were young and curious, and made straight for Vincent, attempting to gain a closer view of his abnormal eye color. It was, quite understandably, a rare feature to be found. The gunman glared, flinching from their outstretched hands.

Cid waved his arms, gesturing for them to beat it. "Scram, get outta here!" he said, planting one hand on Vincent's back and pushing him away from the small crowd. "Give a couple of guys some privacy, eh?"

His efforts were award when they finally ceased following, and Cid lowered his hand to walk by Vincent's side into the forest.

"Who knew there'd be people livin' out here…" Cid muttered to himself, gazing up at the trees surrounding the village. Various modest decorations had been attached or fixed to these trees, probably marking the boundary of their home. He wondered if they were aware of the Temple only an hour's walk from their home. Of course they would be… But did they visit it? Would they know what was inside? Maybe they could tell Avalanche what Cloud, Tifa and Aerith would be facing right now.

Vincent had apparently been thinking the exact same thing. "Perhaps the villagers know more about the Temple than we do…"

Cid smirked to himself, composed his face and then answered, "can't hurt to ask 'em."

They came to an edge of a ravine just a short walk away from the village. Cid realized they didn't have good odds if they were attacked by the insect creatures, but they both felt the need for distance from the overly-intrigued locals, and the view of the ravine was rather pretty.

Cid propped himself against a tree trunk, crossed one leg behind the other and folded his arms, enjoying the peaceful air and occasional bird cry. From their slightly higher elevation over the other side of the ravine, they could see a good area of the forest. Vincent approached the edge and stopped, his head high as he observed the view with a seemingly deep respect. The red cape billowed in a soft wind, and his long hair fluttered over his shoulder. Cid watched him.

"Yer always had red eyes?"

Vincent's face turned to his direction, contemplating Cid's sudden and curious question. He didn't always answer everybody who asked, seeming to choose what he wanted to respond to when it suited him, so Cid didn't hold high hopes for a reply. He did get one, though.

"Yes," Vincent said in the few seconds of silence that followed. He turned his face back to the open air. "I was born with red eyes. I am used to such shows of curiosity… But sometimes… it can get tiring…"

Cid considered the man, wondering what kind of personality someone like Vincent would have had before he'd been tortured by experiments. Probably laughed, probably smiled… probably enjoyed social activities and maybe even had a girlfriend. Cid realized sadly that those things were most likely far out of reach for him.

"Family gene?" Cid pressed, finding himself strangely interested.

Vincent cocked his head to Cid's direction again. "Yes… Passed from father to son."

Quite surprised he was getting these answers, Cid felt like he could push his luck just a little bit more. "I get the feeling yer an only child."

At this Vincent turned to face him fully. He wasn't mad, in fact he looked vaguely amused that Cid was enquiring about him. "How do you deduce that?"

Cid smiled. "Got a hunch. I guess 'cause I am, too. There're signs."

"What signs?"

"I have _no_ idea," Cid grinned.

Vincent watched him for a few seconds, a light reaching his eyes that perhaps compensated for the smile that he never expressed. Cid was reminded once again that, despite whatever he'd been through, he seemed to have retained his striking looks.

Cid only realized that he had been holding the gunman's gaze when a small colorful bird zipped between them and stole their attention. It fluttered by a tree branch before deeming the men too threatening to hang around, and flew away across the ravine. They watched it go.

/

The villagers prepared a small banquet for their guests later that night, when the sun had fallen beyond the horizon. A large fire provided warmth for the surrounding attendees, built in what seemed to be their version of a square, located in the east part of the village. Unlike Stony Willows, there were no dancing ("thank fuck," Barret mumbled) and no music, but the tune of people laughing and talking seemed to fill in for the lack of ambience. Vincent was still a little disgruntled by the local curiosity, but seemed less unhappy since he and Cid returned. Red and Cait Sith were now the object of the children's attention. Neither seemed to mind.

Returning from the food queue with two thin, stone platters of meat, Cid stepped over Red's fire-tipped tail – of which was still receiving some awed stares – and meandered around various kids and adults to his companion at the farthest point of the fire, where the shadows still remained dominant.

"Try some of this, it's good shit," Cid said, holding out the less piled of the platters.

Vincent took it without argue, albeit hesitantly, as Cid sat beside him, folding a slice of meat in half to cram it into his mouth. He ate hungrily, having had nothing since the morning, but regretted neglecting to pick up a drink. The meat was salty.

"They know how to season their meat," Cid commented, licking his thumb.

Judging by the expression on Vincent's face, he agreed.

The banquet thankfully died down when all the food had been consumed, which didn't take long at all. Cid found himself sat beside Barret an hour later as they chugged down a bowl of a home-brewed beverage, which strongly resembled alcohol. The large fire was crackling down to burnt ambers, and many of the villagers had dispersed, leaving the remaining few wandering about chatting. Yuffie had passed out on Barret's other side. Vincent had disappeared.

A middle-aged man had approached them minutes earlier, gesturing to a small hut nestled between two larger ones. It was to be their lodging for the night. At least, that's what Cid thought he had said. He poked Barret and indicated the hut, suggesting they should call it a night. Red had already retired, and Cait Sith was… somewhere.

The hut was not much larger than a family tent would have been. It probably would have been easier for them to erect their own and enjoy some space luxury, but it would have been ungrateful to ignore the accommodation the villagers had already settled for them. Besides… they three could _just_ about lie side by side comfortably… _if_ Vincent didn't miraculously change his tune and decide personal space wasn't an issue any more.

The futons were soft and easy to fall asleep on, as demonstrated by Barret's soft snores three minutes later. Cid, staring at the hut ceiling with his hands under his head, contemplated the day's events as his eyes began to feel heavy, unable to stop a few stray thoughts passing through his sleepy mind… all he could think of were a pair of red eyes, and how they turned gold yesterday…

/

"I don't… wanna… pickles…"

Cid awoke steadily to the soft murmurs, cracking his eyes open to see Barret sat up, rolling his eyes at their sleep-talking ninja on the dark man's far side.

"Bumble…croak…"

Cid exchanged looks with his large friend and sat up, his mind and body refreshed from the good sleep. They both left the young Wutai girl muttering in the hut as they ventured out into the fresh morning air. Most of the village appeared to already be up and about.

Red found them a few seconds later, appearing from the huts with a few children in tow. "No word from Cloud?" He asked.

Cid shook his head. Team one had been in the Temple a long time, but there was no way in knowing how much longer such an adventure would take, or what they would find in there that would make the journey worth while.

"If they ain't contacted us by afternoon, I'm callin' _them_," Barret announced, moving past them to find some manner of breakfast.

"In the meantime, let's see if our hosts know anything' about the Temple," Cid suggested to Red.

The elders of the village seemed to speak the best English of the whole tribe, so questioning them for information was fairly easy. However, their answers were little and vague. They knew only that the Temple was an ancient building, one which had never been penetrated since the Cetra had died. They were concerned that such a show of interest in the Temple had suddenly flared up, what with the Turks appearing first, and then Avalanche. Red felt the need to explain what was happening, that a great evil was threatening the world, and the Temple was linked somehow. The village elders confessed they had sensed a foul deed by reading the stars. Cid didn't know whether to scoff at their superstition, or ask them to show him what message the stars had declared – because despite his disbelief, he was as fixated on the skies as the tribe was.

"It was once said the Temple used to house a great secret," one of the elders said suddenly, as if recalling a memory long lost. "A secret of great magnitude, but could not be withdrawn so easily."

"What secret?" Red asked curiously.

The elder shook his head softly, his head ornaments jostling. "No one knew."

"No one has entered the Temple since the Cetra," another said.

Cid and Red left the elders' hut a minute later, no more reassured about team one's adventures than when they went in. Yet their conversations played on both of their minds.

"Perhaps whatever this secret is, it is what Sephiroth is after," Red offered as they walked through the village.

"Good bet," Cid agreed.

A bustle of villagers suddenly darted past the pair, hefting weapons and expressions of grim warriors. Cid and Red turned around to watch them run, surprised by the abrupt appearance.

"Creature attacks?" Red guessed.

"Must be."

They followed at a run, navigating back the way they had come near to the elders' huts before careering off east into the dense trees, still within the village's boundaries.

"Slaps!" Someone yelled.

As they drew near to the fighting, the loud sound of buzzing grew stronger and stronger, until it vibrated Cid's very eardrums in a way the insect creatures' wailing didn't. What looked like tens – or maybe hundreds – of bright red flies hovered, dived and attacked the villagers, many of whom were lying motionlessly on the floor. Under the masses of flies were wooden tubs and barrels of what looked like fruit. Cid understood why they had congregated there. The sweet juice had enticed them to the village.

A flash of red whipped past Cid as Red dived into the fray, aiding the immobilized villagers and attempting to drag them away from danger. Thankful he had brought out his spear that morning, Cid ran closer to provide cover for those pulling the wounded from more harms way. In a quick act of thinking, Cid spun his weapon rapidly, wind-milling the spear in an effective deterrent. The spear cut the flies down like a lawnmower and prevented the advancement of any more, while Red pulled his villager behind the Captain.

"Would have thought they'd stow their fruit more securely," Cid griped to himself, unheard by anyone over the deafening buzz of the flies.

Out of nowhere a burst of flame engulfed the clouds of flies from the other side, throwing out immense heat. Burnt little insects fell immediately to the ground, littering the forest floor as the remaining clouds panicked and flew about erratically. Another torrent of fire ensured the end of the infestation as more than half of the clouds burnt to a crisp, and from its origin Vincent stepped out of the trees, his figure illuminated brightly by the fire he had created.

The remaining few insects went berserk with confusion and panic, dispersing everywhere in a flurry. Cid ducked quickly as several flew at him, and then flung himself to the ground as more dived for his head. Villagers slapped about with racket-type weapons, trying to swat the frantic insects.

Red yelped – a high, loud bark that startled Cid for a second. The hound had been stung on the hindquarters, and collapsed almost immediately. Cid dived for him, avoiding a near-collision with a single fat fly. He knelt by Red's side, back-fisting an incoming insect, and picked up his furry friend quickly, intent on getting him away from the rest of them.

A villager rushed to his side. "He just paralyzed," the young man assured him, checking Red's one good eye. "I take him."

Cid hesitated, but the cry of another stung-victim reminded him he could still help eradicate the few remaining flies. He deposited Red in the villager's outstretched arms and turned back to the dispersed rampaging insects. He snatched up a racket-weapon from the floor (dropped, no doubt, by one of the paralyzed men) and swung it hard, batting a couple of fat red flies from the air. He stomped them and continued, until there were only several buzzing about angrily.

"Fuckin' fuckers," Cid grumbled as he swiped at a smallish one aiming for one of the villager's back. He glanced up to scout the last remaining few, and caught sight of Vincent swinging his large gun, bringing down the last one hiding among the trees. He crushed it beneath his pointed boot, raised his head and caught Cid's eyes.

"They don't make flies like they used to," the gunman said, in what Cid could only guess was a quip. Vincent approached him from the dark shadows of the trees, holstering his gun.

"Never seen a swarm that big," Cid remarked, casting his blue eyes down at the many little carcasses.

It was at the same moment as the Captain's hearing detected the rapidly incoming buzzing did Vincent's hand shoot out to the side of his head, clipping his ear. Cid barely jerked, but before he could move, the gunman winced and recoiled. His hand opened, and in his palm was a crushed, twitching insect, the stinger of which was embedded in the heel of Vincent's palm.

Cid raised his gaze, surprised the man was still standing. "Shit… that was a good aim."

"There may still be…" Vincent began, wavering on his feet suddenly. "A few left…" Cid caught him as he pitched forward, lowering with him to the ground. Seems the paralysis affected mako-enhanced people as well.

"Yer not havin' much luck with the local monster population, are yer?"

Obviously, he received no answer.

Hefting the man into his arms after removing the stinger, and again almost tripping over the ragged ends of the long cape, Cid went in search of Red's location, planning to leave the villagers with another paralyzed victim. Cid had been paralyzed a couple of time, and as he recalled it was not fun. Vulnerability was nothing to enjoy, despite the seemingly minor nature of the condition. And for someone with Vincent's past… Cid didn't want to think about the memories or feelings this probably brought back to him. The feelings of helplessness.

His solution was to lighten the mood, so Cid talked. He didn't have to entertain for long, however, when he approached a group of villagers tending to their own injured. Spotting Red, Cid made towards them as someone waved him over, indicating a vacant space to lay Vincent down on. He set him between Red and a villager, before sitting back and observing the helpers aiding their own. It seemed a lot of villagers were paralyzed.

"Not much antidote remains," a male medic announced to Cid as they both watched a pottery cup being administered around the area. Those who were fed the contents of the cup got up unsteadily, but the effects were gone.

As the man beside Cid trotted off again to inform others about the lack of antidote, Cid had a sudden thought and dug his hand into his pocket, retrieving his phone. A quick couple of taps on the keypad and he was in contact with Barret.

"Bring yours and the ninja's bag of items," he said before Barret could get a word in. "East side of the village. Yer can't miss us." And he hung up. He pocketed the phone as he wondered how Barret, Yuffie and Cait Sith hadn't heard the ruckus, and then thought maybe the village was bigger than he first assumed.

Giving Red's neck a friendly, rough stroke, the Captain said, "Hope Cloud and the girls are getting' it worse than you guys are," he joked. Red's good eye slid up to meet his, and Cid could almost read the humor in his eyes.

Beside him, Vincent's eyes were closed, though he was no doubt very awake. Cid figured it was probably easier seeing darkness.

Barret, Yuffie and Cait appeared a few minutes later, carrying their packs and looking around at the many paralyzed villagers with a look of confusion. They spotted Cid's blond hair easily and jogged over.

"What the hell happened?" Barret questioned as Cid took the pack from Yuffie.

"A swarm of bastard flies," Cid answered, digging into the items. He withdrew with two small vials and shoved one in Yuffie's hand. "Give that to Red." He ordered. He rose to his feet and stepped over the limp hound to crouch beside Vincent. Cid ripped out the cork, cupped the back of Vincent's head and tilted the contents of the vial past the gunman's lips. Coughing once, life came back to the man's body, and he sat up slowly, flexing his hands. The claws glinted from the sunlight.

"Thanks…" Vincent said, his deep voice whispery. He worried the heel of his palm with the pad of his left thumb, careful of the sharp talons.

Behind Cid, Red gave a good, bodily shake, as though flinging away all feeling of paralysis. "I don't like those insects," he stated flatly.

"Likewise," Vincent replied, rising to his feet.

"What about the others?" Yuffie asked, leading her gaze around at the many people still without an antidote. "We have a few more Softs left."

Cid stood. "We might need those. We've got a journey out of this forest at some point, and we can't afford to use 'em. At least these guys're safe until they make more."

"Why the hell did we just waste two now, then?" Barret asked, palms out to the sky. "Could've saved 'em."

"Because," Cid said firmly. He knew it wasn't an answer, but he didn't want to admit his real reason. He took off walking, feeling starved of food, hearing the others mutter behind him.

It wasn't many minutes later when he found what was obviously the food huts. Meats, vegetables and fruits sat waiting on small tables. Cid assumed they were simply topped up now and then, as no one appeared to be serving. He was about to grab what he wanted when a voice interrupted his quiet.

"I don't need your pity."

Cid turned to find Vincent stood behind him, his face a blank mask, as usual. "I don't _pity_ you," he said.

"Then why waste two of our supplies when there were _free_ antidotes?"

"Would yer've wanted to stay like that longer?" Cid shot back. "I look after my own. I don't rely on other people." With that he turned, gathered his breakfast and brushed past Vincent, feeling the prickles of anger disrupt his otherwise calm energy.

When he had eaten breakfast in the seclusion of a small knit of trees, he gave thought to why Vincent had questioned him. He thought Cid pitied him, figured Cid might have guessed that the paralysis would shake him, remind him of his experiments and so try to save him from that nightmare with the Soft. But… he didn't pity Vincent. Did he?

/

Early afternoon was still warm and humid. There had been a minor disturbance as three remaining flies buzzed about the village, confused. They stung one more villager before they were eliminated. Thankfully, more antidote had been made.

Vincent was back at the ravine when Cid found him. He didn't offer any indication that he had heard the pilot, or was even aware, but Cid knew he knew. His black hair fell motionlessly down his back, but his cape fluttered in that eerie way it did.

"I did it because I thought it would be an unpleasant reminder to yer," Cid said into the silence, halting a few feet behind the gunman and wondering why this had become such an issue. "And I remember what it felt like… But I don't – and never have – pitied yer."

He thought the silent man was going to ignore him completely, cold shoulder treatment. But after a long pause Vincent turned to face him, his red eyes flashing something unreadable yet again.

"Then, I am sorry to have questioned you," he finally said. "But I don't need special treatment. I can take my share of the bumps we hit."

"I don't doubt yer can. But you – none of yer – need to suffer more than necessary." Cid turned away. "It applies to all of 'em, but I'm telling _you_: don't be afraid to ask yer teammates for help, even if yer ego's gettin' in the way." And with that he walked away.

/


	9. Pole Arms

**Journey**

AN: It's been a while. Long story short, chaotic absence and no internet. Sorry for the delay.

/

The tell-tale tune of a ringing phone disturbed Barret's conversation a couple of hours later, cutting him off mid-sentence. Cid's hand dived into his pocket, surprised but expecting to find Cloud's name on the screen. Cait and Yuffie shuffled closer when he announced who was calling.

"Cloud," Cid said into the phone as Yuffie's large brown eyes fixed on his, as though seeing Cloud through the pilot's face. "You all alive?"

"Yes," came Cloud's young, stern voice. "It's been an adventure, that much I can say. I'm looking forward to seeing the sky again."

"Have you guys seen any sign of Sephiroth?" Barret asked, leaning forward where he sat on the grassy bank.

There was a brief pause of the other line. "In a way." Cloud answered, his tone strange. "We'll tell you all about it when we're out. But I don't know when that will be… it's weird in here. Magic… But the girls insisted I call and let you know we're okay. How have you guys been doing out there?"

"Good. We found a village that granted us a place to stay while we wait," Cid told him, "been monster huntin' for our keep. It's been… fun."

Cloud made a soft noise. "We're continuing further into the Temple now. Hopefully the next time we all talk it'll be face to face. See you all soon."

They bid their goodbyes.

"He sounded strange…" Barret said after the conversation had ended, his voice unusually soft. He sat back, his dark eyes on Cid's. "I think he saw somethin' in there that spooked him."

Phone still in hand, Cid looked back at him. "And Cloud ain't easily spooked…" They contemplated this in silence. Yuffie glanced between them slowly, probably wondering the same things. Cait Sith was silent and motionless. He remained there even when the three humans stood and left.

/

There was little to do that afternoon. They found themselves involved in the duties of the village, from erecting the framework for new huts, to skinning, plucking or cleaning dead animals and preparing them for food. Yuffie had plenty to complain about, but she was a hard worker when she put her mind to it. Cid had to hand it to her.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Cid tugged off his shirt and flung it aside before helping two other men he was with heave a fallen tree trunk from its location across the edge of the village boundaries, and transport it to the other side, where they would carve it up and use it for materials. They shuffled the heavy wood quickly, feeling the strain on their biceps. Once done, it seemed they had no more use for Cid, and he wandered off, tucking his shirt into his belt, looking for a cooling drink. He hated humidity.

He came to a stop before a group of children watching the thick trees before them with mixed curiosity, some muttering. He would have ignored them, but it was possible they had seen or heard something.

"What yer kids seen?" He asked, approaching them.

They turned to him, a little startled, still mindful of the trees. Many of them had trouble understanding his accent, but luckily a few of them seemed to have picked up his unique pronunciation.

"Red eyes," one of them said, a few of them pointed.

A smirk crossed Cid's face and he loosely planted his hands on his hips, shifting his weight. "Red eyes, huh? He scare you or somethin'?"

"He… 'not' fighting," another boy explained awkwardly. "Say we in way."

Cid eyed them. "'Not' fightin'?" Then it dawned. "Practicin'?"

The children all nodded (uncertainly), and attempted to mimic some of the moves they had seen Vincent perform. It seemed as though he was sparring with himself.

Cid chuckled once and moved off into the woods. "You kids stay here, or red eyes will be annoyed." It worked, none of them moved. The pilot wondered if they were scared of his personality, or cautious of him _because_ of his eye color. Fascination aside, a village of this nature could have superstitious backgrounds, and any stray from normality could be seen as demonic. But then, they seemed to have taken to Red pretty well. _Hmm, must be the personality._

Treading lightly across the forest floor under the cool shade, Cid walked for a few minutes before the ground began to incline. He climbed the bank of earth, using the trees to pull him up, and upon reaching the top found it declining into a clearing, circled by the raised earth like a small crater. Trees dotted about, but not close enough for the man who was currently engaged in a series of combat patterns. Surprisingly, he hadn't even heard Cid, who leant himself against a rough-barked tree, crossed his arms over his still bare chest and watched, fascinated.

The man moved like he had been born with the grace and swiftness of a fighter. Cid saw vague styles that reminded him of his own training with Shinra, and wondered if Vincent missed the duties of a Turk. He would have been an excellent Turk; Cid could tell.

But… how was it Cid had never heard the name Vincent Valentine until recently? He had heard mention of several Turk's who had earned a record for their skills, yet Vincent, who clearly possessed impressive abilities seemed to have popped out of the blue. Even if Hojo had isolated the gunman for a few years Cid was sure the name should have been passed about; he had heard tales of the top Turks since his childhood.

Or, quite possibly, Vincent hadn't been in top ranks, and had gained his skills _after _his captivity… _Hmm…_

Cid tilted his head softly in observation as he watched, still unnoticed by the man touching up his reflexes. Vincent was elegant, that was abundantly clear, but there was a restraint in his moves, an attempt to hold back the hidden strength he had admirably contained throughout their journey…

A few minutes later the gun was brought from its holster and incorporated into his moves. The safety was on, but even from his viewpoint Cid could see him squeezing the trigger to simulate a kill shot. Combining his pattern with his gun slinging skills, Vincent eventually brought his line of sight straight to Cid.

He froze for a second, gun aimed, eyes trained on Cid's, before lowering his weapon and standing straight.

"Fluid stuff," Cid announced into the quiet air between them.

"It had to be," Vincent answered, placing the triple-barreled gun back in its holster on his right thigh, his eyes inspecting the forest to his left without much interest.

Cid continued to watch him. "You trained with other weapons?"

Vincent turned his gaze on the blond, but before he could answer he stepped back abruptly and caught the spear that had been thrown to him. He sent a questioning stare at his companion.

"Well?"

Vincent watched him approach. "Basic training."

Cid twitched an eyebrow. "Want to try yer hand at pole arms?"

The gunman's heavy-lashed eyelids dropped as he regarded the weapon in his hand, and Cid could almost feel the reluctance to accept emanate from him. In the few seconds of motionless, it was clear after his exercise he wasn't the least bit breathless.

"C'mon, what else have we got to do around here?" Cid urged, placing his hands on his hips. "Never know when yer might need to use another weapon durin' our journey. Bullets run out quickly."

Vincent eyed his companion uncertainly, as though internally debating the idea. No answer was simple for him, it seemed there were issues that Cid couldn't see, but required serious thought before action. Perhaps it was that gauntlet of his that troubled him. But then, he seemed to have adapted to its presence on his left arm and the pilot was sure he had mastered it by now.

Cid moved toward the silent gunman, standing before him, unintentionally catching him unawares in his deep canyon of thoughts. Holding his unusually unguarded gaze, Cid closed his hands over the spear and flipped it, placing it back in Vincent's grip.

"Yer right handed, so typically yer thrust force is comin' from that hand. Ideally it wants to be supportive behind yer left, providin' yer power…"

What surprised Cid most, as he began to explain and show Vincent how to handle the weapon, was that Vincent dutifully listened – after his stiff demeanor dissolved – and watched the Captain with no more hints of refusal. His crimson eyes observed Cid's demonstrations with an interest he had never seen Vincent display, and just for a little while, Cid could see the original Vincent Valentine. He listened well, and he mimicked even better, seemingly satisfied with the pilot's teachings. But there were various instances for Cid to step in and correct.

"Yer thrust is too high," he explained, standing in front of Vincent to demonstrate. "It's great if yer can cleave somethin's head in half, but generally it's easier to miss a smaller target than to miss a bigger one. Like the abdomen." He slapped his naked chest to accompany his point. "Yer aimin' here for offensive."

Vincent's following displays adapted to the new input, executing the basic thrusts with precision. Cid circled him slowly, watching his efforts, before deciding to correct something else. As Vincent's arms recoiled, Cid stepped in close to his south east, his eyes on Vincent's hands. He ignored the man's sudden tensing.

"Yer hands are too far apart, it limits yer thrust reach." He wrapped his own around the man's gauntlet carefully and slid it closer to the other, nodding when he was satisfied with the positions, and vaguely pleased that his companion hadn't flinched from him. "Might feel less stable, but yer'll adapt to it." He raised his blue eyes to find Vincent's watching him carefully, intently; Cid could see flecks of amber circling his pupil. He realized how close he was. Though, true to the stubborn Highwind gene, he remained where he stood, gazes locked.

"I see why Rocket Town appointed you its sole authority," Vincent said suddenly. Cid cocked his head, inquisitively. "You seem to be a master of many talents. Fixing, fighting… teaching."

A corner of Cid's lips tugged. "When yer branded the local sheriff yer find yer _gotta_ learn those things."

"…People must have trusted and respected you to put such a position on one person."

Cid's smile disappeared slowly. "I think when I got back, fresh outta Shinra, they just got dumb impressed. I wanted to build rockets and air ships, and they wanted me to be their leader because some fuckin' shiny Shinra certificate says I _could_ build those things."

Vincent's eyes strayed to the spear in his hand as the silence between them took dominance for a few seconds. They were both pensive, contemplating. Then Vincent abruptly executed a perfect thrust, followed by a series of small maneuvers Cid had taught him only minutes ago. He finished smoothly a few feet away and turned to the pilot, the spear vertical in his right hand, his hair falling neatly – in that messy way – around his fair face.

"I think they were more impressed by your other skills," Vincent said finally, continuing their conversation. Again, Cid's head tilted in questioning. "Your ability to lead and direct people." He leaned the spear towards the blond and added, "you make a good teacher… Chief."

Cid took the spear back, eyeing his traveling companion with a small, growing smile.

/

A sudden and short shower of rain interrupted the late afternoon, prompting cheers from the children of the village who ran about and danced, soaking in the downfall. Red's fire-tipped tail hissed but never faltered, even as Cid continued to watch it curiously, sheltered under the awning of a large hut, smoking. He had left Vincent to himself an hour ago, only because his stomach had started growling. Now sated, he was enjoying his 'dessert' while he waited out the rain.

Yuffie leapt from nowhere to join them under the awning. "Why do I _always_ get caught in showers?" She huffed, flinging droplets from her fingers.

Cid ignored her as he took a last inhale on his cigarette before flicking it into the rain. He untucked his shirt and pulled it back on, feeling the temperature drop with the cooling rain. He didn't want to poke anyone's eye out…

A dull, distant rumbling, seemingly from everywhere, suddenly filled the air, growing louder as the earth beneath their feet began shaking. Cid braced himself as locals cried out in alarm and surprise.

"An earthquake?" Barret asked loudly over the noise.

Cid didn't answer, frowning as the ground shook harder, and then it stopped. The rumbling ceased. Objects had fallen from their tables, and awnings had been shook loose from their supports. People rushed about in mild panic. They'd probably never experienced an earthquake…

"Are we on a fault line?" Yuffie asked no one in particular, venturing out a little into the rain to look around at the disarray.

"I don't think that was an earthquake," Cid said, stepping from under the shelter of their intact awning. Raindrops fell lightly into his hair, collecting in his blond spikes.

Barret watched a screaming child run by, and his mother chasing him. "These people obviously ain't used to it."

Yuffie caught the arm of a young woman running past. "Hey, what happened? Was that an earthquake?"

The villager shook her head, wide-eyed. "We have never had earthquake like that."

"Where's everyone running off to?" Barret asked, eyeing a few passing locals.

"Elders will tell us," the woman said, her dark hair heavy with glittering raindrops. "They have answer, maybe."

Yuffie turned to Cid as the woman nodded at them and carried on. "Maybe we should follow." Her bandana was saturated with water, and strangely it made Cid think of Vincent.

"Let's go," Cid ordered simply, taking off and falling into the stream of people heading towards the village elders. The rain slowed until it was invisible to the naked eye, felt only on bare skin, but it chilled Cid's skin even in the warmth of the otherwise sunny say.

They shuffled close to the back of the crowd gathered around the elders' huts, trying to catch what the two visible village heads were explaining. It didn't sound like they knew what had caused the rumble, but they were speaking in their native language, so the four of them didn't understand.

"I don't think we need – " Cid began, but was interrupted by a vibration from his pocket, announcing his ringing phone. He pulled it out to find Tifa's name lighting up the monitor. Surprised to see the young woman calling, Cid flipped it open quickly.

"Cid, you better get back here…" Tifa said, her voice was grave and she skipped her usual pleasantries. "Something happened…"

"We're on our way," Cid said immediately, snapping to alert mode. He closed the phone and turned to Barret, Yuffie and Red. "We're headin' back to the temple. Phone Cait and Vincent and tell 'em to meet us where we entered the village."

Yuffie shifted her weight from one foot to the other, her heavy bandana tails sticking to the back of her arm. "Vincent doesn't have a phone. He's the only one that doesn't."

Cid rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'll find him. You get Cait and meet me where I said."

"Don't bother," came a deep voice. The four teammates turned to watch Vincent walk into view. His hair was sleek and weighted with rain water, yet his cape fluttered as though it was light and airy. "Cait Sith disappeared into the forest about two hours ago. In the direction of the temple…"

Cid's blond brow creased. "What the hell?"

"Let's get goin'," Barret urged, turning to walk. "That cat's probably already there. Got some fuckin' Shinra orders that we don't know about."

Cid caught pace with him. "Who the hell cares? Let's just get there."

They power-walked to the edge of the village, leaving merely a passing goodbye to the nearest villager without breaking stride. They stepped past the boundary that separated the wild forest from the safety of the village, and rushed off into the dense wilderness, leaving their hospitable hosts to themselves once again.

Their previous trek from location to location had taken an hour, yet at their current rapid pace they cleared the distance in three quarters of that time, stopped briefly by yet another small ambush of giant insects.

"Shit, you were _ready_ for this lot," Cid commented, stepping over the bullet-ridden carcass of three insects, directing his eyes to the pale gunman.

Holstering his weapon, Vincent's unique red eyes met his. "I'm a quick learner."

Cid smirked. "Don't I know it."

Beside him, Yuffie attached her throwing star to her back and squinted questioningly at the two. "That sounded wrong, guys. What're you taking about?"

Cid gave her remark a wry smile. "None of yer damned business, brat." He turned and carried on. "Now let's go."

/


	10. Moor Manor

**Journey**

/

The Temple had vanished.

In place of the once grand, ancient structure was merely a crater, carved into the earth behind the crumbling stone wall that now served no other purpose than to fall further ruin to the forest. There was no sign of the missing temple. As team two emerged from the dense trees, a resounding gasp escaped Yuffie as their eyes set on the empty air.

"The temple…" Red breathed.

Cid dashed forward, his team following quickly behind; over the rickety bridge and under the stone archway that stood where the foot of the staircase had begun. Small chunks of old stone littered the floor. The pilot skidded to a stop at the edge of the crater. Below, in the very pit of the hole sat the rest of their team. Cloud appeared to be unconscious, his head cradled in the lap of Tifa. Stood before her was Aerith, both seemed unharmed.

"Tifa," Cid called, gaining their attention as he leapt into the hole, sliding his way down on dust and dirt. Barret was on his heels. They both came to the bottom and trotted close to their teammates. "What the hell happened?"

"The temple…" Aerith began, watching their motionless leader with concern in her eyes. "It was the Black Materia all along."

Barret stepped closer, his brow furrowing in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Aerith was silent for a moment, and Cid could tell something was troubling her. She hid it well, but over the weeks they had been travelling together he had learned to read his teammates. Aerith was pensive…worried. There was no twinkle in her gaze. Her large green eyes blinked delicately as a fat raindrop fell onto her cheek, and as she looked up into the overcast sky as more followed, leading to another downpour.

"We should get Cloud to safety," she said, turning her eyes down to Barret and Cid as droplets collected in her hair. "We can tell you what happened later."

Cid looked down at the unconscious swordsman. He had never really watched Cloud sleep, and somehow he looked younger. All his mysterious burdens had been temporarily lifted by unconsciousness, shedding that cold, hard demeanor he adopted. Rain streamed down his smooth skin, unable to even stir him.

Barret slid his hands under their leader's limp body and carefully lifted him from Tifa's lap. She climbed to her feet after him, her brown eyes ever watchful in case he awoke. Cid let the smallest of smiles escape despite the situation. That kid had two beautiful girls after him, and he had not once seemed to notice, too intend on his mission to stop Sephiroth. He needed to live a little. Both he _and_ Vincent needed to live a little.

They climbed out of the crater, hindered by the rain eroding the already loose earth, to join the others watching silently from their stations at the top. Yuffie demanded to know what had happened, but there was a grave atmosphere emanating from the two young women, quelling any real questioning.

The team trudged away from the site, silent as they walked, with only the rain to break the quiet…

/

Cid was awakened by the disturbance of someone close by. He cracked his eyes open to see Barret's bulk ambling past two beds and out of the inn. It was dark in the room, so Cid's eyes adjusted easily as he sat up and stretched.

It was nearly two days since the incident, and Cloud still hadn't woken up. He lay on the bed next to Cid's, still and silent, almost corpse-like. The pilot watched his chest rise and fall faintly, the only sign that he was alive. Avalanche had carted him from the small village near the Temple back across the ocean at the request of Aerith. She had insisted they rest at Gongaga, the small village on the south of the west continent. Cid grimaced. The journey back on the _Tiny Bronco_ – with eight people – was not an enjoyable one, nor a fast one. Cid decided they would have to attain a new form of water transportation – the _Tiny Bronco_ was not going to hack that type of ferrying again.

Swinging his legs off the bed, Cid scratched his back and yawned. Red had curled on the end of a line of five beds in the room, still snoozing peacefully. His fire-tipped tail hovered off the edge. Cid was mesmerized by it for a second.

On the floor at the foot of Red's bed sat Cait Sith: number two. Cid stared at him. After having sacrificed himself to solve the puzzle of the Temple, the owner – or the controller – had apparently constructed another robotic cat on yet another robotic mog and sent it after them. Cait two had caught up with them shortly after their arrival in Gongaga. It made number one's sacrifice a little less significant…

Stifling a yawn, Cid stood, pulled on his pants, shirt and boots, and left the room. The morning was dark, the sky streaked with the weak colors of an approaching dawn. The pilot cast his eyes around for Barret, but the man had disappeared somewhere, and Cid's attention had fallen to the large, dark shape in the distance: The ruined Mako reactor, situated on the edge of the small village. He had noticed it when they arrived, but for some reason it caught his eye again. With little light to illuminate it, it resembled a huge, jagged creature, and if Cid stared long enough he could almost see it breathing. He remembered hearing news of the explosion some years ago. It had devastated the village.

He hadn't realized he walked to the edge of the cliff Gongaga was upon, looking across the distance at the destroyed reactor. He also didn't realize he had company until they spoke. Cid's head jerked, startled.

"Was it sabotage?" Vincent asked softly into the quiet air. His voice, though gentle, cut through the silence. His crimson eyes glowed in the dull light, and like the fire of Red's tail, hypnotized Cid.

Blinking back his focus, Cid gazed at the reactor. "It was blown up by a band of rebels against Shinra. Years ago." He looked back at Vincent out the corner of his eyes. "Yer didn't know this?" As a Turk, Vincent should have been privy to this information.

Vincent's lips parted, but his answer was delayed. "I… wasn't available to such news."

Cid watched him. Had he really been in Hojo's clutches at the time of the reactor explosion? Years ago? The pilot wanted to question him about his lack of technology savvy, too, but something restrained him. His isolation probably hadn't granted him access to all the newest modern advances, but his curiosity when Cid had spoken on the cell phone was… strange. PHS had been around for the past couple of _decades_…

Vincent's eyes turned to meet his, catching his gaze, and for a second he watched back, comfortably sharing a silent camaraderie, before dropping his eyes, distantly, to the space between them. His lashes feathered against the ivory tone of his cheek, and try as he might Cid couldn't tear his gaze away just yet. The urge to question Vincent just how long he had been in captivity was almost too strong to resist, but he held back.

Finally the Captain managed to turn his eyes on the horizon. The sunrise colors were intensifying as the morning came, yet the sun was still hidden. He felt content to stand there with Vincent and watch the day arrive, but he could feel the nagging of concern underneath. Aerith and Tifa had filled in team two on their adventure through the Temple, had told them what the Black Materia was, how Sephiroth had appeared, how Cloud had _given_ him the Black Materia… According to the girls, the kid hadn't been in control of himself, but that was more worrying.

"No one's actually told me what drove Sephiroth to madness," Cid said into the silent air. It was a statement, nothing more. But he sensed Vincent's attention draw to his words.

"… I am not sure, either," Vincent said softly.

Cid slid his eyes to him, watching as he stared pensively out at the reactor, although it was clear his mind was elsewhere. Cid's statement had wrung out some new thoughts for Vincent and the pilot wondered if, as a Turk, Vincent had ever met Sephiroth during the General's hero days.

Vincent tipped his chin out from behind his high collar to allow a crisp morning breeze to caress his face. His long hair waved and snaked, his crimson eyes fixed on the horizon, and Cid found himself eying his perfect profile, wondering why he found it so easy to look at the man. Vincent seemed to be absorbed in memories, so it gave Cid the opportunity to study his flawless features. It was hard to read an expressionless façade, but somehow it seemed softer than the cold, dismissive looks Vincent had given everyone a couple of weeks ago.

Realizing he was staring, the pilot turned his own eyes back on the slowly emerging sun. The dark, dirty clouds in the distant sky had been streaked with peach pink, and the awakening sounds of animals in the surrounding high wilderness began to infuse the silence. Cid's stomach grumbled.

"Breakfast time," the pilot announced, turning from the breezy edge. His blond spiky hair fluttered and tickled his nape. "Yer gonna join me?"

Vincent's face turned to him, and Cid expected a decline. Instead, he was offered a single nod.

No one in the little village of Gongaga was actually up and awake for business at such an early hour… at least, not until Cid wanted service. A few minutes later he was sat inside the small inn, with a large plate of something the inn keeper had called pancakes. Cid took one bite and decided he would hustle the man for the recipe. Vincent stared at his two lonely pancakes that Cid had ordered for him, watching blankly as the pilot reached for a bottle of syrup and took the liberty of coating the gunman's meal with it.

"Breakfast of champions," Cid smirked at him, setting the bottle down with one hand and eating with the other.

As Vincent began slowly cutting his meal with his fork, the door behind Cid opened and Barret walked in, Tifa a step behind. Neither looked very happy.

"What's wrong with you two?" Cid asked, having turned in his seat. As they approached he twisted back to finish his food.

"Aerith's disappeared," Tifa said gravely, lowering into the seat next to Vincent. She eyed his plate and Cid could tell she was surprised to see him doing something so trivial, so normal.

Cid glanced from Barret to the martial artist. "No note? No clue? Sure she ain't gone for a walk?"

Tifa shook her head, her bangs swaying. "Her things have gone. Last night she was so quiet, she looked so troubled … I don't think she's coming back."

"Should we go look for her?" Barret suggested, sat next to Cid.

"I cannot sense her nearby," Vincent said, his eyes on the table as he expanded his strange senses. "She may be far away."

Barret took a breath, no doubt to say something derogative to the other gunman, but seemed to have a change of heart and instead sighed, shoulders slumping. "What is she thinkin'…?"

"She's been acting differently since we got out of that temple," Tifa said. "Should we try to find her?"

Cid stood from his chair, as did Barret, Tifa, and at a slower pace, Vincent. "We should make an effort, at least. Any idea why she would leave?" Cid questioned, looking at Tifa.

The young woman shook her head. "She didn't mention anything. I don't know."

Cid sighed, moving towards the door with everyone in tow. "She must have a reason, but even so…" pushed open the door and ordered everyone in a different direction, pointing. "Barret, you grab Nanaki, he might be able to follow her scent. Find that ninja while yer at it."

"What about Cait Sith?" Tifa asked.

Cid paused. "I'll find him."

They scarpered in their designated directions, despite somehow knowing that they wouldn't find the flower girl. The morning shone brightly, almost out of spite to their current state of affairs…

/

Cloud regained consciousness late afternoon. Barret and Tifa had looked as far as the outer boundaries of the Gongaga Area and had returned in time to an awakening Cloud. The other team members returned shortly after. Their search resulted in failure.

Trudging back into the small town, Cid found himself overlooking the destroyed reactor again, enjoying the wind rushing from the expanse of land before him. Behind him he could hear someone's approach, and guessed from the heavy footsteps that it was Barret.

"Cloud's awake," the dark man said, joining Cid.

"He alright?"

Barret uttered a soft snort. "… I dunno. He's messed up in the head and doesn't know what to do. Kid's afraid that what happened to him at the Temple might happen again."

Cid said nothing, but he digested the information as someone else approached. Softer footsteps.

"Cid…" Tifa's voice rose from behind. The pilot glanced over his shoulder. "Aerith's gone to the City of the Ancients. Cloud… knows, somehow." She paused. "He said only Aerith can save us from meteor."

"I think he was a bit delusional," Barret murmured, and Cid got the sense that they had shared a meaningful conversation between the three of them in the room.

"No," Tifa said. "I think she came to him in a dream…"

Cid looked from one to the other. "So we're headin' to this City of Ancients?"

Tifa turned her brown eyes on him. "Yeah, but… I'm not sure if Cloud is coming…"

Frowning, Cid was about to question that when the inn door opened behind and Cloud stepped out, squinting against the growing sun. He saw the trio and approached.

"Cloud…" Tifa said softly.

"So what's it gonna be?" Barret demanded suddenly, and Cid knew he was missing crucial conversation information. "You wanna find out? Or you gonna sit here and worry about it?"

Cloud's large blue eyes shifted to the larger man, lingering there as though undecided. "I…"

"It'll be alright, Cloud," Tifa said, and both Cid and Cloud looked at her. "We're all here for you…"

Cid wondered what _that_ would entail, and was thoroughly confused about whatever they were talking about. He merely eyed the three of them, figuring if it was a need-to-know basis, they would clue him in.

Cloud watched Tifa for a second before nodding, his blond, spiky hair bouncing softly with the movement. "You're both right… I can't stop now… We have to stop Sephiroth, and I _will_ be there when we do."

Cid smirked. "That's the spirit, kid."

/

Clouds gathered overhead to form a dark, threatening blanket, following Avalanche as they left Gongaga and made their way through the surrounding forest, even after it gave way to a stretch of rolling hills. A sense of weight settled onto the team as their thoughts wandered, concerned and curious as to what drove away their flower girl. Their mission had temporarily changed, and with it came an uneasy sense of impending tension.

By night time they had reached the _Tiny Bronco_, but it was too late to sail the sea, even the shallows. Despite Cloud's agitated demeanor, Cid insisted that they wait until dawn. They lit a fire and set up camp, feeling the chill of the sea breeze and the night air combined. They were all weary from the constant trek, and the lulling sound of the waves on their shore made them drowsy. It had been a long day, with many monster battles; they must have looked like a tasty bunch. It threw up the question as to whether or not Aerith was alright on her own.

Cid lifted his sore, tired eyes to the blackness reaching across the far stretches of the sea, contemplating their journey to the North continent where – Cloud seemed certain – they would find Aerith.

Dreams; Cid never placed much consideration in such things. Sure, he had them, but he hadn't grown up believing they held secret messages and deep meanings – which is why he felt a little skeptical of their new destination half-way across the world. But Tifa seemed completely behind Cloud on his decision, and Barret was satisfied with Tifa's faith, so Cid had no arguments.

Cloud was silent and distant while they shared a meal around their fire. He stared listlessly into the crackling flames, silent and obviously deep in thought as poor attempts at conversation passed between Tifa and Yuffie. Cid found himself being drawn into their topic after insistent prompts from the girls, and he was glad to put his mind on something else. Throughout their meager meal, he found his eyes straying to the darkness around them, seeking out the single, silhouetted figure keeping sentinel on the beach.

A short time later they decided unanimously that it was time to turn in, and after feeding the fire more dry wood they had collected they settled down for the night to the lulling sounds of the waves repeatedly washing up on shore.

As everyone shuffled and settled down to sleep, Cid hesitated, glancing once again to the cloaked figure standing atop a high sandy bank. Getting up, Cid made his way over, leaving the warm circle of the fire.

"Yer didn't have anything to eat," he stated when he was a few feet from the gunman. The cape billowed periodically in the sea wind, a ragged edge brushed Cid's arm.

"Breakfast was enough," Vincent replied.

Cid sighed, letting a small smile twitch his lips. "Well, if yer get tired, yer wake me, and I'll cover guard duty. Okay?" He knew Vincent would deny fatigue, even if he was on his knees.

Yet as if to play out the courtesy charade, he gave Cid an almost affable look and said, "okay."

They both knew he wouldn't.

/

They reached the North continent late morning, having woken to a cold air. Approaching land after a long and uncomfortable boat ride, they sailed into a thick, heavy fog, which obscured any hope of seeing the awaiting continent. The murkiness was moist and clung to their skin, blotting out the sky entirely. Cid had rarely come across such thick mist.

The _Tiny Bronco_ scraped along the shallow shores as she finally brought them to land. Despite her slow speed, they very nearly collided with sharp rocks jutting from the dull waters, and consequently ran aground right on the south beaches of the North continent. The fog was just as thick, making visibility almost pointless. Cid moored his broken plane against a solid rock structure, hoping the tide wouldn't pull her back out too quickly and snap the rope. It was all he had to secure her with.

"Ears open," Cloud said, a misty form to Cid's left. "This could be a dangerous situation…"

He was right. Monsters and creatures alike had far better senses than they (with the exception of Vincent and Red); if they chose to attack the team would be at a disadvantage. They stuck close and moved slowly, making as little noise as they could while trying to cover as much ground as possible. They had no idea where the fog would end, and more importantly they had no idea what terrain lay before them. They could be walking towards a cliff for all they knew.

"How do we know we're going in the right direction?" Yuffie asked, a step behind Cid. She was rubbing her bare arm, obviously cold. They had left a difference of about twenty degrees from the West continent, and even Cid could feel the goose bumps on his arms.

"We need to clear this bastard fog before we get our bearin's," Barret told her.

"We should have prepared a little before coming here," Tifa said, somewhere behind. She sounded cold, too.

"Ciiiiiid…" Yuffie began meaningfully, her purpose clear before she'd said anything more.

The blond untied the jacket from his waist and handed it to her, which she wrapped around her small frame and sighed pleasantly. Tifa would probably share it with her in turns.

"If ya ask Vincent nicely I'm sure he'd letcha borrow his cape," Barret said teasingly, turning from the front of their pack to shoot a smirk at the youngest.

"No way," Yuffie shook her head. "That thing's alive, I swear."

Cid chanced a glance at their silent, pale companion, but he was merely a misty form on the other side of Cloud. No doubt he'd heard, though. Cid was reminded of the room they shared at the Gold Saucer, and how much smaller Vincent appeared without that cape around his shoulders. Almost normal looking. And very easy on the eyes…

An animal call sounded from the group's right, gaining all of their attentions. It was distant, but close enough to warrant renewed vigilance. The image of Vincent's uncovered face snapped from Cid's mind, and he gripped his weapon still fixed to his belt.

"Yuffie and Cait, move to the middle," Cloud ordered, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword from its perch on his back. "Vincent, you cover the rear and Barret lead the front."

"Why do I get to be pushed into the middle?" Yuffie complained, obeying regardless.

"Because yer small, and a good target," Cid told her, watching Vincent's shape fall behind to guard the back of the group. His cape looked ethereal in the thick fog, fluttering around him despite the lack of wind. Cid wondered if the only reason they hadn't been attacked yet was because the indigenous monster population could _see_ him.

It surprised him when, strangely, Vincent's shape seemed to pause, and his head turned in Cid's direction. Could he sense the pilot watching? Playing it safe, he looked away, refocusing his attention to the invisible path they were following through the sand. between looming, half-buried rocks.

They had entered a corridor of stone, wide enough, luckily, for them to remain in their current formation. In front of Cid, Tifa stumbled, unearthing a hidden rock in their direct way. Cid grabbed her arm before she could fall.

"Owch," she muttered, looking at her foot, which, judging from the side of the rock, was no doubt throbbing.

"Careful where y'all walk," Cid called to the group, letting go of Tifa.

They continued on through the cold passageway silently, the sounds of their footsteps shifting through the sand provided the only indication of their movements. Cid thought he heard the metallic clink of Vincent's metal-plated boots, and thought it strange, considering he was always so silent. Cid reminded himself that the gunman hadn't been sleeping again lately.

Red XIII stiffened suddenly at Cid's side, his posture alert, ringing Cid's mental alarm bells. "I sense something approaching." He said, and then he looked up above them, where the high rocky walls disappeared into the fog. "From above us."

As one they looked up into the fog, unable to see anything save a few feet of rocky wall disappearing into the eerie murkiness. Cid unhooked his spear and strained his ears. He sensed his teammates doing the same. It was strange to have to rely on his hearing, his vision was useless in such pea soup, and he didn't like the feeling of vulnerability.

The silence was tense; Cid could hear his own heartbeat thrumming away steadily. Then, something crawled rapidly down the rocks around them, tentacles emerging from the thick atmosphere so quickly that Cid didn't have time to raise his spear. Long appendages leapt down and wrapped themselves around his shoulders as his team scattered around him, under attack as well. He stumbled into the rough wall and slammed his body against the rock, provoking a high shriek from the creature.

"Get the fuck off me!" Cid growled, grabbing a thick, slimy tentacle trying to choke him and wrestling it away from his throat. The bulbous head squelched as he punched it with his other hand, dropping his spear and consequently almost tripping over it. He stumbled into the wall again, knocking both himself and the creature for a temporary daze.

Before he could reaffirm his grip on the slippery monster, someone else was prying it from his neck, fighting with the writhing creature as it clung to Cid's body. Two tentacles fought free and wrapped themselves around his head tightly, blocking sight and smell – and air.

Cid knew better than to flailing about while someone was trying to help, but the small flare of panic when he attempted to inhale urged him strongly to struggle. He fought the instinct against his will, and a second later he felt sharp, cold fingers claw his face as they hauled the monster from him finally, heaving it away. Barely a second later a loud, ear-splitting shot cracked through the air. Dimly, Cid heard the sound of a sword slicing through something wet and bodily behind him, ending all sounds of the fight. The chaos of only moments ago now passed as quickly as it had started.

Breathing deeply to oxygenate his lungs, Cid raised his blue eyes to find Vincent before him, holstering his gun. His red eyes turned to the pilot, so piercing and clear even in the hazy fog swirling about disturbed.

"Bastard monster," Cid huffed, hand to his sore neck, "Thanks for the help, Vincent. They were fuckin' strong." He paused, remembering the feel of strength behind Vincent's tugging. "Good job you are too…"

Vincent's eyes fell to Cid's cheek. "Sorry. I cut you."

Only then did Cid feel the stinging on his face. He touched the sore abrasions on his left cheek, amazed how such little things could hurt so much. His gloved fingertips were smudged with blood. Vincent was, if Cid's reading skills were attuned, looking guilty.

"Well, it's distinguished," Cid said. "Yer never know, it might look good." He pretended to pose, cupping his chin.

Vincent seemed to relax, and what Cid could see of his face flicked with vague amusement. "It should heal," Vincent replied assuredly, and Cid was sure he was smiling (however slight) beneath that collar.

"You guys okay?" Barret called, emerging from the fog. Behind him, a Cloud-like shape was helping up another figure.

"Fine," Cid said, tearing his eyes from Vincent's. "We should regroup quickly and get outta this damned death-trap." He turned to locate his weapon, and when it was safely in his hands he reached for his few remaining cigarettes, discovering the sudden crave for nicotine. But he stopped. It wouldn't be good to send out a scent for other monsters to follow. Damnit. He would have to wait.

They moved off once again, a little quicker than they should have, but eager to leave the corridor of stone. Red kept his senses sharp as their fog- monster-detector, assigning himself to the middle of the group so he had equal chance of sensing back and front. Vincent seemed to have relinquished his job role as Detection Service solely to the hound.

Thankfully, their painstakingly blind and slow path between the harsh, boulder-lined walls came to an end when the rocks disappeared into the fog and opened up onto a dark, wet moor. The fog thinned considerably, but hovered persistently above the ground, swirling around their knees like ghostly water. The cloudy sky above them refused to reveal the sun, so the cool, moist air chilled them constantly as they stepped and stumbled through the soggy, uneven earth, slashing through hidden pools of sitting water. Great fields of heather and various shrubberies hindered their trek, and eventually, after a long, calf-aching stint, they decided unanimously to take a short break when they reached a collection of menhirs, reaching up from their sunken positions in the peat like huge, grisly fingers.

Avalanche threw down their packs and sagged against the rocks, taking the weight from their overworked feet. Vincent and Cloud remained standing, ever vigilant while the rest of them relaxed. Cid was able to scrounge an antiseptic wipe from Tifa to clean his cheek. Aerith had taken their only cure.

"What are these things?" Yuffie asked, craning her neck up to study the dark rock she was leaning against.

"I think they were used as markers," Tifa hazarded a guess. "I read that somewhere. They're very old."

"Let's hope that means this is the half-way mark," Barret grumbled, taking off his heavy boot to rid it of a hitch-hiking pebble. "Anyone know what time it is? Hard to tell without the sun."

"It's got to be late afternoon at least," Cait said, examining the menhir Barret was using as support. "Though, where we are geologically on the north continent I have no idea."

Cid broke off a chunk of his hard cracker rations, crunching loudly as he eyed the distance ahead of them. The moor rolled into hills and tors for as far as the eye could see – no… wait, there was something amidst the stretches of heather that was distinctly artificial, dotted with glistening specks.

"Looks like there's a buildin' over there," Cid called to his team after swallowing his mouthful.

Someone clambered up the peaty mound beside him. "Way, _way_ over there," Yuffie exclaimed, squinting.

"They might be able to tell us where we are," Cait Sith said. "We should head towards it. At least they can provide us wi' food and water."

"Agreed," Cloud's voice spoke up. "It's looks a good distance away, so we'll rest for another few minutes and continue."

Yuffie returned to her perch down by the base of the rock as Cid tried to estimate how many hours it would take them to reach the building. He was judging the distance in kilometers when he felt the hairs on the back of his neck tingle. Glancing behind him, he caught Vincent's glowing red eyes watching him impassively, but their gaze was broken when the man turned away, his manner quite casual. Cid continued to track him from the corner of his eye. It was then he realized that the fog around Vincent swirled and twisted constantly, irritably… yet he was standing perfectly still. Strange…

"Let's get moving," Cloud called suddenly.

They gathered their packs and reattached weapons, and formed two somewhat orderly lines, partnering up should one fall into a peaty bog and sink. Barret stumbled, catching Cid's arm to steady himself as they fought their way through tough shrubs and hidden dips. The terrain promised to give _someone_ a sprained angle before the trek was over.

The building in the far distance seemed to remain where it was no matter how long they hiked for. It was disheartening after several hours to look up and find that perhaps the lights looked a little brighter, but twinkled teasingly from their position still far away. Cid found himself spitting a few curses when his foot slipped from a wet mossy rock and he stubbed the toe of his boot into another. The rough ground was making them all tired.

"At least we haven't been attacked, ay?" Cait Sith said, suffering the least atop his giant mog, which was a half dirty gray and a half clean white.

"That's true," Tifa mused, glancing around them. Although the land proved different to navigate, it was relatively easy to spot oncoming attacks.

"They probably sensed Vincent," Yuffie said, throwing a smirk over her shoulder to the gunman at the end of their line. He said nothing.

"More likely they probably _heard_ _you_," Cid retaliated for him. Barret barked a laugh.

Time seemed to move a little bit quicker once the insults began flying back and forth. The second time Cid raised his head to judge the building's location, he was thoroughly relieved to see it looming directly ahead, nestled between two tors with the porch light shining welcomingly.

Actually, although the building was large enough to be titled a mansion, it seemed dark and dreary, as though the architect planners decided that color was passé, and neutral, gloomy tones were perfect.

"Looks like Shinra Manor…" Yuffie noted dismally.

"Let's make sure it's not," Barret cautioned, casting a look back at their second gunman.

Cid looked too. Vincent was watching the building like it was demanding his attention; an unpleasant reminder.

When they reached the front door, stepping up the several porch stairs, Tifa elected herself to banging the door knocker, a heavy, expensive design that suited the place to a tee.

"Hello?" She called loudly.

They waited in silence for a long minute, listening for footsteps that might indicate someone on the other side of the door. When nothing happened, Tifa tried the door handle, which, just like the doorknocker, was sleek black and radiating wealth. It gave easily, and the door creaked open.

"Hello?" Tifa called again, stepping cautiously into an entrance hall. The team moved in behind her. "Anyone here? Hello?"

Her voice echoed faintly into the high-ceilinged chamber to their left. But the hallway before them seemed the more plausible route to find someone, so, as one, they shuffled slowly through the mansion, listening for man or monster.

"This place is someone's home," Barret remarked, looking around and above at the tell-tale decorations. Vases, wall-hung paintings, tapestries and rich carpets met them on their journey through the building, all relatively dust free or polished.

Tifa picked up a framed photograph from a large expensive bureau. "Looks like it might belong to this guy."

Cid looked over her shoulder at the man in the picture. He was old, bald, but appeared lean and strong. His expression was cold and firm, and he was wearing a smart suit which Cid thought he probably lived in. He was stood next to a monster trophy, hanging from a wall. No doubt in the building somewhere.

"Who are you?" A strong voice demanded.

Startled, they all spun around, Vincent's gun already aimed, at the very man in the photo, frowning at them from a staircase

"Oh, sorry for intruding," Tifa began. "We called and no one answered so we – "

"Invited yourselves in," the man finished for her, disapprovingly. He eyed the gun pointing at him, seemingly mixed between livid and guarded. "Would you mind lowering that weapon?" He sniped.

Vincent did so, but not before a considerably long second of scrutinizing. He holstered his gun and fixed the old man with a very sharp gaze. Cid knew if he was on the end of that look he'd been feeling the prickles of unease.

"A Valentine…" The old man said suddenly, still watching Vincent, but his expression was of hard wonder. "I thought you were all dead."

Baffled, Cid turned his gaze on Vincent to gauge his reaction. His brow crinkled in question.

"You… know my family?" Vincent finally asked.

"Only as a bloodline in the social circles," the man replied, stepping down a few stairs, never once turning away his cool grey gaze. "Your red eyes are a distinct family trademark. But I heard the last of you went missing nearly thirty years ago."

"It doesn't matter," Vincent said coldly. "We're here for shelter, not talk."

"Vincent…" Tifa chided quietly. If they wanted to request a place to stay it was wise not to piss off the home owner.

"I see…" The man said slowly, apparently unable to take his eyes from their red-eyed teammate. He seemed to resolve something internally with himself before tearing his eyes from Vincent (Cid could relate to that struggle) and plant them on Tifa. "I don't usually receive _guests_, out here," he stated thickly. "So you can imagine my reluctance to offer room to a group of…" Here his eyes went around them one by one, clearly disapprovingly. "…people." His eyes lingered on Red. "And their pets."

Before Red could speak Tifa stepped in front of him. "Red's almost human, he's better trained than most of us," she smiled kindly, attempting to lighten the mood.

The old man stared down at her, considering his decision, but Tifa's large golden eyes were apparently a deal-maker even to the most hardened men. He shook his head to himself. "Fine. I'll have my maid make up a few rooms. Don't expect anything more than that." He descended the rest of the stairs and began walking away. "You can wait in the drawing room until she's finished. Follow me."

Exchanging looks, Avalanche obeyed the old man and trailed him through a dark corridor, lined with large oil paintings that seemed as old as the house. Wall lights lit the way, but just barely.

"How did this building come to be in the middle of a moor?" Cloud asked.

"By builders," the man answered gruffly without turning around. "I didn't say I would be your tour guide."

"Geeze, we're jus' curious," Barret mumbled, shooting the man a dark look.

"Maybe that's what got you young 'uns lost in the first place."

"Yer don't get much visitors here, do yer?" Cid smirked.

The owner glanced over his shoulder, giving Cid a blunt once-over. "Where are _you_ from? Don't recognize the accent."

"I'll answer yours if you answer ours," Cid bargained.

The man shook his head, exasperated. "Too much bother." And he left it at that.

They were shown into a windowless room furbished with rich but dulling golds and maroons. The furniture stank of money. There was a large, unlit fireplace against the opposite wall.

"I suggest you don't go wandering," the old man said, hand on the doorknob, as though he couldn't wait to leave them. "It is a confusing layout, and you _will_ get lost. Young people have no sense of direction." Without another look, he turned and closed the door, leaving them.

"Talk about cold," Yuffie said, wrapping Cid's jacket around her as she flopped into a large armchair.

"Can we get this started?" Tifa asked, approaching the fire and rubbing her bare arms. "There's logs in the hearth." Red simply flicked his tail and brought the wood to life.

"I wonder who _would_ build this mansion here in the middle of nowhere," Yuffie pondered aloud, gazing up at the detailed ceiling.

"Someone who hates people," Barret said. "He obviously don't like socializing."

"Maybe he owns the moor?" Tifa suggested, knelt by the fire with her hands out, catching the heat as it slowly grew.

"He probably owns half the north continent," Cid exaggerated, looking closer at the detail of a tall lamp stem. The craftsmanship was impressive, he had to admit.

"All of these paintings are of the moor," Cait observed from across the room atop his mog, looking closely at a portrait-oriented image. "And they're all fairly aged. Maybe his family have been here for generations."

"That would explain why he's such a stiff," Barret said, turning to examine the paintings, too.

They fell into relative silence for a few minutes, listening to crackling of the fire as it intensified, bathing Tifa in a warm glow. Cid turned to find his eyes straying to Vincent in the otherwise unoccupied left corner of the room. He looked glazed over; either far away in his own thoughts or Cid's suspicions were confirmed and he was fatigued. Recalling what the old man – whose name they never thought to ask – had said, he was probably pensive. Had the old guy really said the last Valentine went missing thirty years ago? Would that mean Vincent's whole family was dead? Except him… but then _he_ would be the last, so –

"Do you think we should ask the maid if she could spare us some food?" Tifa asked no one in particular, pulling Cid from his thoughts.

"I could 'obtain' some things from the kitchen if she won't let us," Yuffie said, smiling mischievously.

"No stealing," Cloud said. "We're lucky to get a room, let's not get ourselves thrown out before we're rested."

"Let's hope the maid ain't as cold as the old man," Cid said, feeling his stomach growl and secretly hoping she had a thing for blonds.

A sharp crash jolted them all and they looked over to where Cait Sith's mog had waddled into a large, upright vase.

"Oops…"

"Cait!"

/

The maid arrived shortly after they had masterfully hidden the damaged vase and announced six rooms had been prepared with fresh bed sheets. _Six rooms,_ Cid thought. _Sounds like they have plenty more, as well… fucking rich bastards._ He neglected to remind himself that, being the leading plane engineer on the entire planet, he was considerably well off, too, though his humble possessions might say otherwise.

She was a pretty, dark-haired woman in dark pants, matching waistcoat and white blouse. Not quite the stereotypical image that Cid had been expecting, but she was easy on the eyes anyway. She held herself high and professional, clasping her hands before her when she wasn't using them. Rich people and their mannerisms…

"Of course, I was planning to offer you some food from the kitchen," the maid told them when Yuffie questioned her about a meal. "The Master is rather neglectful of visitors, he wouldn't think to offer food."

They followed her to a large staircase in a circular chamber and climbed the spiral stairs where she took them to a long hallway which seemed to boast the only warm colors in the entire place (although not by much). Doors lined the right wall, each one opened to a spacious bedroom, which she assigned to each of them. Red chose to share with Barret, and Cait Sith with Cloud – if he promised to shut down for the night. The maid informed them she would bring them a small supper individually, announcing it would be more discreet than if the Master found them eating in the kitchen. He obviously wouldn't approve.

When Cid's door closed behind him he turned to observe the bedroom. The king-sized bed against the left wall looked incredibly tempting, but Cid walked past it to unlock the catch on the high double doors and stepped out onto a small but pleasant balcony. Most of the view was of the rocky outcropping surrounding the south of the building, but he could clearly see the stretching moors they had trekked across. The fog had thinned, but only slightly, and the moon was peeking from behind the stubborn clouds, trying to throw light on the land.

Cid glanced left and right to the other balconies, wondering if anyone else was curious about the view. Obviously not. He retreated inside where it was only a little warmer, and went to inspect the bathroom. Nice, just like the rest of the mansion.

He ran himself a bath and stripped off while the tub began to fill, helping himself to a generous amount of bath solution. He caught his reflection in the sink mirror and studied the four thin scars on his cheek. They were healing, and he was pretty sure they wouldn't leave a permanent trace, but either way he sure couldn't complain. Vincent had been trying to help him.

A knock on his door reminded him he'd forgotten about the maid bringing food. He threw on his pants and zipped them up a little too quickly ("Ow, fuck!") before striding to the door.

"Your meal, Sir," the maid said, taking a lidded tray from the trolley behind her and handing it to him. The smell of the warm bread, small selections of fruit and a bowl of soup (_it's always soup_, Cid thought) floated from the tray when he cracked open the lid, making his stomach growl loudly.

"It's Cid," he told her. "And thanks."

She inclined her head politely. "You're welcome. You may address me as Katie."

Cid had a sudden thought. "Hey, by any chance did the creepy pale guy refuse his food?"

Katie nodded. "He told me to give it as extra to his teammates. I did not want to argue."

Cid mentally rolled his eyes and held out his hand. "I'll make sure he eats it."

Katie handed him Vincent's tray, bid him a good night and wheeled the trolley to the next door. Barret and Nanaki were next to Cid, and on Cid's other side was Cloud and Cait. Beyond him was Vincent. The girls were at the end.

Cid took the two meals into his room, closing the door behind and setting the trays on the nightstand. It took his ears a second to recognize the sound of water splashing onto tiled floor before he raced into the bathroom and shut off the taps. The hems of his pants soaked up the puddled water as he hit himself on his head, berating his forgetfulness. Luckily there were two towels on the rail, so he used one of them to mop up the floor before wrenching his pants off and taking a quick bath, enjoying the hot water and the soothing steam. Who said only women could enjoy this luxury? He washed his hair in record time, pulled the plug, toweled himself dry roughly and dragged his pants back on (with his underwear, this time). He slung his shirt over his shoulder, too flushed from the hot water to wear it, and slopped his way from the bathroom into the cooler air of the bedroom.

The meals were still hot, so he slipped into his boots, grabbed both trays and awkwardly fondled for the door handle, a battle which he very nearly lost his food to. Once out he pulled it closed with a foot and balanced both trays down the hallway to Vincent's door, elbowing it three times. Vincent answered a few short seconds later.

"Yer not gettin' outta it that easy," Cid said, shoving the tray into Vincent's hands before inviting himself in.

Vincent moved aside for him and closed the door behind, watching Cid kick off his boots by the bed.

"_Thought_ yer might skip supper," Cid said knowingly, sitting himself cross-legged on the bed and finally digging in. His taste buds sang in enjoyment.

"You seem to have dubbed yourself my nutritional manager," Vincent noted wryly, sitting himself down beside Cid, tray on his lap. He removed his cape, slinging it behind him on the bed.

"Someone's gotta make sure yer eat," the pilot told him. "Besides, this tastes great. Rich bastards."

A small huff of amusement escaped Vincent as he eyed his meal, picking up the warm bread. His stomach growled loudly. Cid laughed.

"It wouldn't have growled if you hadn't brought in food," Vincent attempted to defend himself.

"Whatever," Cid smirked, sliding a side-long glance at him. Vincent's eyes met his meekly before lowering to his dinner. He really did have one of the most mesmerizing pair of eyes Cid had ever come across. Maybe he had the power of hypnotism among the other unique abilities. He hoped that would explain why he wanted to stare. And maybe why he wanted to be around Vincent so much. Stupid pretty eyes…

"You should make use of the bathtub while yer got it," Cid suggested, dipping his bread into the thick soup. He devoured it hungrily before continuing. "Not gonna get many opportunities like this again."

"I see you've already sampled the shampoos," Vincent observed, eyeing Cid's floppy, damp hair.

"I might love rollin' in engine grease and oil, but I sure can appreciate a bath. Especially a big bath."

Vincent nodded softly, watching him sedately. "I suppose I can indulge, too…"

Cid was proud of the mastery he had over his expressions, for the simple fact that if he wasn't, and he'd envisioned the images that he just had, he'd have blatantly showcased something completely inappropriate on his face. Instead, he smirked and looked back at his meal. "Little things make life better." _What the hell is wrong with you?!_

"Where…" Vincent began, hesitant as though he wasn't sure he should ask. "… _did_ you get your accent?"

Something about Vincent's interest seemed to increase the warmth in his chest. _Aw, hell, what was in that soup?_ "I grew up in a little village on the east continent," Cid replied, picking at the grapes and popping them into his mouth one at a time. "Oaks Croft, in the Grasslands. It's pretty isolated. I guess I never lost it when I permanently moved to Rocket Town."

Vincent listened dutifully. He had a way of watching people – a way of watching Cid – that stirred the miniscule thread of self-consciousness which had rarely been poked before. Funny enough, he didn't mind.

The cool air of the roomy bedroom eventually cooled down Cid's temperature from the steamy bath. He set his tray down and pulled on his shirt, ruffling his hair out of habit. He'd left his goggles on the toilet lid, allowing limp strands of blond hair to tickle his forehead. Turning his attention back to Vincent, he found himself watching as the gunman took a leisurely bite from the bread. Such a simple action… somehow it didn't look as mundane when Vincent did it.

They finished their meal while Cid chose the topics of conversation. Vincent didn't contribute much, as usual, but he listened intently, as though he was genuinely interested, and for that Cid was grateful. Not too long ago the man wouldn't string two sentences together, nor would he bother listening. The term 'companion' had changed surely to 'friend'.

When the tugs of sleep began making themselves known, Cid gave a stretch and announced he was turning in. He paused to study the gunman's own tired eyes. How long had it been since Vincent last slept? Was it back before they reached the Temple?

"Let's hope the end of the moor ain't far away," Cid stifled a yawn as he took his foodless tray to the door. "Let's hope Aerith is alright…"

"I'm sure we will catch up to her," Vincent said, standing from his bed. Without his cape he looked much leaner, much slimmer.

Cid nodded. "I hope Cloud's right about this Ancient City." He opened the door and paused. "'Night, Vincent."

"Goodnight… Chief."

Smiling, Cid closed the door behind him.

/


	11. The Lunar Harp

**Journey**

**AN: Thanks for the reviews, guys, it's encouraging to hear your comments. Chapters are going slow but steady, hope you enjoy this one, too.**

**/**

Cid's plan was to return to his room, smoke a much craved cigarette, do a couple hundred push-ups and then turn in for the night. However, after two steps away from Vincent's door, another one opened at the end of the hallway. Tifa half- stepped out, clutching the bathrobe she was wearing at the lapels. She spotted the pilot.

"Cid! Can you do me a favor?" She asked, leaning out her door.

"Depends what it is," Cid replied, walking to her with his tray.

Tifa smiled apologetically as she said, "There's a really gross bug in the bathtub. Could you?"

Cid huffed in amusement. "Yer can kick the ass off any monster we fight, but yer don't like bugs?"

"Just the ones with more than four legs."

Sighing, Cid followed her into her room, setting his tray down on a storage chest. Her room, like Vincent's, was identical to his own. He strode straight to the bathroom to find the culprit wriggling about in the tub. It froze when it sensed movement, and Cid had to admit, it was a big little bastard. Maybe he should get Barret…

Like fuck! Not one to lose rep, Cid reached straight in and grabbed it, writhing little legs sticking out between his fingers. _Oh shit, it's really wriggling._

Tifa had already opened the window in preparation, and before the unidentifiable insect could confirm his niggling suspicion that it bites, he threw it outside, scratching his itching palms after.

"Thanks, Cid," Tifa said as she closed the window. "I know it's silly, but I've never really liked big bugs. It's the way their legs move. Uugh!" She gave an exaggerated shiver.

"S'long as they don't have teeth, I ain't got a problem with 'em," Cid told her as he re-entered the bedroom, taking up his empty tray again.

Walking him back to the door, Tifa asked curiously, "Were you coming out of Vincent's room a minute ago?"

"Yeah. He wasn't gonna eat so I got his dinner from the maid." Cid grasped the door handle and cracked open the dooor. "He's been lagging again lately, so if he won't sleep, I'll be damned if I won't get him to eat. Fuckin' idiot," he added fondly. He paused as a train of thought crossed through his mind and settled there, unmoving. He closed the door. "The old man said the last Valentine went missin' thirty years ago, but… _Vincent_ must be the last of his family, right? So… he was wrong?"

Tifa's brown eyes looked deeply up into his, a frown pinching her fair skin. "You don't know, do you?" She asked quietly. Cid cocked his head, questioningly. She blinked, looking slightly guilty for perhaps being ignorant to Cid's own ignorance. "I thought maybe you'd have heard it from one of the others by now."

"Heard what?" Cid pressed.

Tifa watched him a second longer before answering. "…Vincent _was_ the one who went missing nearly thirty years ago."

Cid narrowed his eyes, disbelievingly. "But that's impossible. He'd be, like, nearly sixty fuckin'years old."

Tifa's grave expression seemed to confirm him. It sent chills down Cid's spine. "Technically he is. Cid… Hojo locked him in that coffin for almost _three_ decades." She studied the pilot's reaction closely, her own softening, a sad flicker. "That's why he is… how he is."

Cid felt words elude him for a minute. "… How in the hell can any human look like _that_ and be nearly sixty?" He asked, determined to get some answers, hoping this was a poor joke. Then he remembered Cloud's strangely haunting words, _"He's not like us any more… Just remember that."_ …Cid realized just what sort of taboo Hojo had truly committed. "So what, is he immortal?" It seemed such a ridiculous notion. But Tifa was not lying to him, and what she'd told him had, until a few moments ago, been inconceivable. Immortality? It was a fools dream.

"I don't know," Tifa answered, lowering her eyes. "I don't think he knows what was done to him, either. But considering he hasn't changed since… since he was captured, it's a possibility."

Cid knew he shouldn't probe any more, it wasn't his business, he had no right. But he felt the question slip from his lips before he could stop it. "Yer saw what he looked like before it all happened?"

She looked back at him. "There was…" She hesitated. "…a video footage in the Shinra laboratory. We didn't know what it was when we played it," she confessed, as though pleading their innocence. "We hadn't found Vincent, so we watched the recording." She swallowed, her eyes falling from his face as she recalled the video. "I wish we hadn't seen it…" She added in a whisper.

Cid watched her, drawing unwilling images into his mind of the possible contents in the video. He forcefully wiped them away and attempted to say something, but he couldn't string a sentence together. He didn't know what to say. He almost wished he hadn't asked about Vincent. But it _did_ explain a few things; namely Vincent's reaction to new technology, and his overall behavior. _Thirty years?_ Cid couldn't comprehend waking up to a time that left him behind for so long. Vincent was a _stranger_ to their world.

She looked back at him once again. "I tried to forget about it. Whenever I look at him all I can see is a man who's lost everything…. I can't imagine waking up to a completely new world. It's easy to forget what he's been through. He shows nothing of it."

Cid had to agree there. He could sense Tifa's subtle willingness to maintain the topic as he remained silent, absorbing this new information. Women seemed to need to talk about things, almost as though they needed to sort out their own feelings in relation to the subject. Cid understood, but he couldn't really relate.

"I hope this doesn't change your opinion of him," she continued. "You seem to be the only one he actually talks to."

He eyeballed her.

"I noticed," she explained simply, kindly.

Cid let it go. "Why the hell would it change my opinion on him? At least now I know why he's so emotionally-retarded."

"Cid!" Tifa admonished.

Cid shrugged. "Well he is." Flippancy aside, the pilot found himself with some serious new information. He opened the door once again. "Thanks for tellin' me." Cid stepped out into the hallway with his tray balance on a palm.

"It makes you realize, doesn't it?"

Cid turned to Tifa in her doorway, tilting his head in question.

"How strong he is."

Cid stared at her, understanding. He said nothing, but nodded in agreement, and then turned and headed back to his room. The sound of Tifa's door closing met his ears when he reached his own room. He paused at the handle, glancing along the hallway at Vincent's room and wondering if the man had finally decided to sleep. Somehow, Cid knew he hadn't.

/

He woke later than usual that morning. He blamed it on the ridiculously comfortable bed and the lulling properties of the bath solutions of last night… and the strange dream he had involving a pair of red eyes, a dark, fluttering shape and a deep, abysmal coffin that slammed shut on him, locking him in suffocating darkness. It was one of the most disturbing dreams he'd had in a long time.

Cracking his eyes open, he found his room darkened by the drapes shielding the sunlight from the double window doors, and seriously considered turning over and going back to sleep. His stomach growled.

"Fine," he grumbled to it, throwing the covers off him and swinging his legs to the floor. He'd slept naked, unwilling to spoil the sheets with his grimy clothes, so he pulled on his undies, pants and shirt, stepped into his boots and left his room to seek out food. He'd moved two meters down the hallway when Red appeared, spotting him.

"Cid, I came to find you," the hound said, falling in step beside him. "The maid has set a table in the conservatory for us to eat. The rest of us are down there, so I came to show you."

"Good, I'm starvin'," Cid slapped his belly. If he didn't get food soon he would get 'cranky', as Shera used to put it.

At the back of the house a beautiful glass conservatory sat in a small courtyard between the building and the outcrop of rock that rose above them. A small garden had been tended and manicured and in the center sat a small koi pond. Cid wouldn't have expected something so completely different attached to the mansion. He'd put money on it that the 'Master' had nothing to do with this bit.

A large round table sat in the center of the conservatory, around which sat the whole team excluding Vincent, who was a no-show as usual. The maid, Katie, greeted him in passing as she took a rack of toast to the table, which Yuffie promptly savaged. Cid sat down next to Cloud and grabbed what he could while there was still food left.

"The weather's in our favor," Cait remarked conversationally as he watched them all eat from his mog. Cid took note of the bright day and fairly cloudless sky.

"Katie told us the edge of the moor is about a four hour walk from here," Tifa explained as she buttered a slice of bread. "We're about a day's trek from Bone Village. That's where we're heading."

"I wonder if Aerith came through the moors," Yuffie mused. "Maybe we're not far behind her."

"I haven't been able to detect her scent," Red said regretfully.

Cid threw Cloud a searching look. It was under his orders that they were heading to this City of the Ancients, and all caused by a random dream. Still, it was the only thing they had to go on.

"I trust you're _enjoying_ my food," came a scathing tone from the house. The Master approached them, eyeing the table of food with distaste, apparently disapproving the hospitality Avalanche was receiving

"Mm, it's good," Yuffie said earnestly – mockingly.

The old man's nose crinkled. "You'll be leaving soon, I assume." His eyes traveled around them all. "Where's the Valentine?"

"Who knows," Barret shrugged, reaching for the scrambled egg dish.

Looking livid once again, the old man bristled and shook the cane he was holding. "I told you not to go wandering! Another reason to never have guests – they never listen!" He turned to his maid. "Katie, go and see if you can find him. Living up to his heritage, I assume – sticking his nose where it doesn't belong!"

"And Shera calls _me_ cranky," Cid remarked, a mouthful of toast. He swallowed it as the maid left to seek out Vincent. "Whaddaya mean, 'livin' up to his heritage? I thought yer said yer didn't _know_ the Valentines."

The Master turned his cold gray eyes on Cid. "Rumors, gossips, newspaper articles, take your poison. People of my class gained information in _all_ ways. Doesn't mean I had Sunday tea with the blasted people."

"Was Vincent's family a bunch of nosey people?" Yuffie asked. Apparently Cid wasn't the only one whose ear had been perked. The rest of the team was casting curious glances, too.

The man froze, fixing his eyes on the young ninja. "Vincent? It was a Vincent Valentine that went missing thirty years ago. I should know. His father was a very intelligent scientist. His name cropped up all over the place. Secretive and shady work, in my opinion." He made a sour face. Obviously the Master was not a fan.

"Our Vincent was named after that Vincent," Tifa said quickly, throwing a look around the table. "Long lost son." She smiled meekly.

The old man eyed her for a second before sniffing and turning back into the house. "I don't care whose son he is, he shouldn't be wandering in my house!" And with that, he left.

"What a miserable old bastard," Cid said, turning back to his food and snatching the last toast before Yuffie's outstretched fingers could steal it first. She tossed him a glare. He barely saw it, sinking into a forest of new thoughts about their strange, pale gunman. The very air around Vincent was wrapped in mystery, and Cid found himself slowly pulling at the very end of the line.

He drew himself from his thoughts in time to hear Yuffie chuckling, "they won't find him unless he wants to be found."

"I could find him," Red stated, his muzzle upturned into a smile.

"Well, you're the only one with a good sense of smell – hey, what does he smell like? I bet it's old and musty, cobwebby –"

"Yuffie," Cloud warned.

The girl shrugged, stuffing a forkful of scrabbled egg into her mouth. Cid watched her eat, wondering what it was like for the six of them to find that coffin, to open it and reveal a man instead of a skeleton. What must it have been like to _wake_ and find unfamiliar faces looking down at him? How did he wake? Had Hojo drugged him? Cid still had trouble wrapping his mind around the notion of someone sleeping for such a long time. What had he looked like before?

"Red, maybe you should go and get him," Tifa suggested. "I doubt the owner will rest until he's sure Vincent's not really snooping around."

"I doubt that guy rests, period," Barret huffed.

Red nodded and trotted off into the mansion. They knew him well enough to trust he kept out of view of the Master – the sight of Red running around without a chaperone would probably give the old man a heart attack.

"We need to pack up and leave as soon as possible," Cloud announced to them all, on the opposite side of the table from Cid. "We can't afford to waste daylight." He turned his eyes to the spotless windows, his eyes bright but distant. Cid knew he was thinking of Aerith.

Their team finished breakfast shortly after Red and Vincent arrived only minutes later. They were given as much supplies as they could carry in their knapsacks by the kind maid (the Master was thankfully absent, still), and finally, reluctantly, stepped from the front porch back onto the moor. Katie waved them off, still watching as they turned and began their delayed trek to Bone Village. The Master did not make a goodbye appearance, but that was rather a blessing than a disappointment.

Refreshed and fed, the team made their way across the remainder of the moor with renewed energy, tossing opinions and gossip back and forth about the strange mansion they had left, speculating why it was built in the middle of nowhere. Barret stood by his claims that the old man simply hated company, and would have no desire for neighbors or indeed civilization. Cid loudly agreed.

Their path through the rest of the moor passed surprisingly quickly for Cid, and he realized why when someone called out and he was pulled from a deep pool of demanding thoughts – the same thoughts which had been swirling around inside his mind for the whole trek. He really couldn't recall what the past few hours had been like. If anyone had tried to talk to him, they wouldn't have gotten a response.

Wrenching himself from the distracting memories of the conversation he'd had with Tifa last night, Cid looked up, aware he wasn't even sure who in the team had called out. It didn't matter though, because his eyes fell on a welcoming sight: Trees and grass and level landscape – the end of the moor.

"Onward to Bone Village," Cait announced heartily, pointing towards the mountain range in the far distance.

They took a rest at a set of boulders, passing around a small portion of the food they had acquired at the mansion before Cloud ordered them on, clearly desperate to regain the time they lost indulging themselves at the Master's home.

Much of the day was spent hiking over rolling hills and fairly flat terrain with very little stops. There was an apprehensive gleam in Cloud's eye as he marched them on, focus trained on the horizon as though he could spot Aerith wherever she was. Cid knew he was worried for her – they all were – but Cloud had taken her leave personally, and whatever dream he had had back in Gongaga had set him on edge.

At last they came to a thick forest, sheltered between two mountains. Before the line of trees began a small group of buildings sat beside a road that disappeared into the forest. The group approached it, grateful they had made good time. Darkness was only a couple of hours away.

"Hi, folks," called a man in a cap with an iron hammer. He nudged his hat up to gain a better look at them, his appearance oiled and dirty, but friendly and open. "You guys looking for transport to Bone Village?"

"As a matter of fact, we are," Cait said before anyone else could speak. The man's eyebrow shot up.

"How far is it from here by transport?" Cloud asked, his team halting behind him and Cait Sith.

Turning his gaze from the robot, the man rested the hammer on his shoulder. "Three hours. There's no rest stops along the way so I suggest you guys take care of 'business' before you leave." He smiled, and turned to point to a small hanger behind him. "The office is over there."

He left them to it as they headed to the indicated structure – what looked like a small converted aircraft hangar – passing a man and woman who were carrying boxes of papers. The old, creaky-hinged door swung open as Barret pushed through it, and they descended a short set of stone steps into the office.

"Hi," called a middle-aged man from across what now resembled a bunker from the inside. "Can I help you?"

Barret took charge of the arrangements for transportation, which he sorted quickly and easily. They were guided to a yard outside where several vehicles, small and large, were parked about amongst machinery and cargo containers. People milled about, paying them little attention as they were loaded into a dusty green truck. Cid settled into the seat beside Vincent, who had claimed a window position and was staring fixedly out of it. This close proximity was obviously uncomfortable for him. Cid wondered with a smirk what he'd had done if Yuffie had chosen to sit next to him. She'd annoy the shit out of him the entire ride. Maybe he knew some Turk move that would render her unconscious.

Their driver, a man named Tuo, adjusted his cap, told them in a merry voice to buckle up and then slammed his foot on the gas, jerking them all back into their seats. They left the small group of buildings rapidly, merging onto a bumping track.

"Ugh, I don't like rough roads," Yuffie groaned, hand on her stomach, the other clutching the headrest in front to steady herself.

Barret shifted away warily.

The road eventually leveled out and their journey was relatively smooth from then on. Aside from Tifa trying to wheedle some conversation from Cloud, and Cait requesting a chance to read Barret's fortune, the trip was boring, and Cid's mind began to focus on his increasing need for nicotine. He took a deep breath and tried to push it from his thoughts, consequently inhaling a faint scent of leather from his neighbor. Cid rather liked the scent, and right then it smelt pretty good in nicotine's absence. He turned his eyes on Vincent, staring in vague surprise at the man. Vincent's fatigue had apparently caught up to him, and his head was resting against the window, eyes closed. Asleep. Cid suspected the lull of the road had gotten the better of him. He hadn't slept in days, and they had been pushing their bodies since the beginning.

Tifa's voice floated into his head, echoing all the startling facts she had revealed to him last night. This man was practically sixty years old, yet still appeared physically to be in his late twenties. It was just… unbelievable. Things like that were a trait of science fiction and fantasy. That meant Vincent was, well – no other way to put it – a scientific miracle. Cid didn't think that the science community had even found a way to cure wrinkles for the populace, let alone immortality. Sure, SOLDIERs infused with mako lived a longer, easier life, but it was still a proven fact that they aged; evidence of such was noticeable after five to seven years of first dose. But thirty years? Nothing stopped aging for thirty years.

Cid was mildly surprised to find he'd been staring at the gunman again, unbeknownst to his own mind that he was memorizing the very lines that constructed his face. Damnit, why did the word 'beautiful' keep popping into his head? And why the hell did he feel so relieved to see the man getting some damn sleep? He convinced himself he was a good friend, and that thinking another man looked beautiful was alright if it was so obviously true. _Yeah…_

It was only a few minutes later when Vincent jerked awake. His eyes were wide, but he kept his composure. He seemed momentarily frozen, and Cid suspected he had to remind himself where he was. His eyes closed again and his shoulders sagged slightly in an inaudible sigh. He'd had another nightmare.

A second later his eyes opened and he glanced sideways at Cid. His face was tired, and he looked desperate for a good, long, uninterrupted sleep. Trouble was, he just couldn't get any. It wouldn't be long before he became a liability in battle.

Cid reached for his water canteen. Uncapping it he handed it to Vincent silently. The man hesitated before accepting the bottle, taking slow, deep gulps. The cool water would refresh him a little, at least.

Their drive ended over two hours later, and the truck dropped them off inside the boundary of Bone Village. Rising above the treetops ahead were the tips of some skeletal structures. Cid had been here twice before, and nothing had changed.

"Welcome to Bone Village," came a voice. They turned to find a man approaching. He looked like a gardener, clothed in blues overalls and covered in dust. "Home of nature-lovers. Can I help you guys?"

Assuming he was part of the excavation team, Cloud stepped closer. "Have you heard of the City of the Ancients?"

The man frowned, repeating the name as though it was foreign on his tongue. "Oh – you must mean the Forgotten City."

"I guess…" Cloud said uncertainly. He glanced at Tifa before continuing. "Have you seen a young woman pass through here? Wearing a pink dress?"

The man nodded, his eyes widening a notch. "Yeah, she went into the Sleeping Forest. We warned her, but she went anyway."

Cid remembered rumors of the Sleeping Forest. Apparently no one could pass through the trees without some object, so no one really knows what's past the Forest in the valley of the mountains.

"When?" Cloud questioned.

"Uh, only a few hours ago."

Cid caught Cloud's eye. They were close behind Aerith after all. Finally some good news.

"What's in the Sleeping Forest?" Tifa asked in concern, stepping beside Cloud.

"It's not what's _in_ the Forest," the man replied. "It's the Forest itself. You can't get through it without the Lunar Harp, otherwise you find yourself running around in circles. You simply can't pass through."

"That even true?" Barret asked, skeptically.

The man nodded seriously. "Yes. Many people have tried and failed to get through without the Harp. But luckily we just recently dug up the actual Lunar Harp – it was an exciting discovery." He beamed in achievement. "It'd been lost for a long time. We were going to conduct an experiment, attach a few of our guys to radios and send them in with the Harp, but before we could, this girl – your friend, I assume – demanded it." He looked around them all, his face grave once again. "She said it was a matter of life and death… and I don't think she was joking."

"Where's the Harp now?" Cloud asked, a strain of impatience in his tone.

The man frowned, puzzled. He put a hand on the back of his neck, a gesture of confusion. "That's the strange thing. When your friend used the Harp, she must have left it just inside the Forest, where we found it. But it… it disappeared."

"Stolen?" Barret said.

Shaking his head, the man gestured they walk with him towards the bone structures. "No, it was kept locked in a glass case, no one had _time_ to steal it, we were guarding it. Before we knew it, it just disappeared into thin air."

They followed the man up a neat, narrow stone pathway through a short expanse of trees, emerging into the excavation site Bone Village was famous for. People were crouched about, brushing at the dirt with specialist tools, unearthing new fossils and ancient objects on the various levels of ground.

"There's a theory," said a new voice, "that once used, the Lunar Harp returns to rest in the earth it was created from."

Avalanche turned to find a second man in the same overalls, top half undone and wrapped around his waist. He was wiping his hands on a dirty rag that wasn't much cleaner than himself.

"If that's true, can you guys find it for us?" Yuffie asked from the middle of their group.

The two men glance at each other thoughtfully. "We can," said the first. "But it's just a theory. We're not sure it's fact."

"Only one way to find out," Cid stated, looking meaningfully at them.

Nodding, the second man stuffed the rag in his pocket. "It takes our team and equipment a day to locate and excavate any potential readings."

"We'll wait," Cloud gave a confirmed nod.

The two men gave them directions for the local inn where they could stay, with instructions to return to the site at midday tomorrow. It was another delay, but one they couldn't avoid. They paid the team for their services and then left to find the inn. It was a tall building flanked by large, branchy trees, and boasted a cozy, dark bar a floor down that they all retreated to once they had booked their rooms.

Cid reclined into an old, worn, but comfy leather armchair and took a long, refreshing gulp of his beer. It felt good. His cigarette felt even better though.

"We'll be at least a day behind Aerith," Cloud muttered to no one in particular, his full glass of… what was that? Juice? Pft… his drink was clutched in one hand, probably forgotten as his vacant blue eyes stared into space.

"Can't be helped, man," Barret replied, propped against the side of the faded burgundy leather couch Tifa and Yuffie were sharing. He held a half-finished glass of beer in one hand. They were indulging. Why not?

"What if they don't find the Lunar Harp?" Cait piped up, straddling the couch arm lazily. His mog was sat beside him on the floor.

"We go in anyway," Cloud answered tersely.

"I don't think that would be a good idea," Tifa said quietly, lowering her eyes to the floor pensively.

"If we had air transport we could've gone in from above," Cid remarked offhandedly, swirling the last few mouthfuls of beer in his glass and gazing at it neutrally as his cigarette smoked softly in his other hand.

"Well, we don't have a lot of options, so let's just see what they dig up tomorrow," Barret said firmly.

Tifa, Yuffie, Red and Cait all nodded in agreement. Cid glanced at Cloud. He looked tense and impatient. Turning his gaze to the support column a few feet away, the pilot caught the end motion of Vincent raising his head back up, his eyes bleary and blinking. He was close to collapsing, but he was fighting his exhaustion stubbornly. How long did he think he could continue?

It was already dark outside when they finished their drinks a few minutes later. No one felt like a second beverage, all too preoccupied with their thoughts and tired from their day's journey. Cloud left their group first, with little more than a 'good night'. It was clear he was troubled, who knew what was going on in that spikey head of his?

Cid drained his beer as Tifa and Yuffie unfolded from their couch and left them. He put the glass down and stood. "I'm gonna pop out," he announced simply. Turning his eyes on Vincent, he added as an afterthought, "don't lock me out."

Once outside, he headed towards the line of shops they had passed on their way to the inn, a certain store in mind that he had noticed earlier. He had to pound on the door for a few minutes before anyone answered him, and, ignoring their irritation, told them his purchase was important and left a few gil lighter. He returned to the inn under the light of a waning crescent moon, taking a moment to stop and admire the clear sky above the reaching tree leaves.

"One day," he promised the twinkling stars.

He made it to room #23 a few minutes later after acquiring a cup of boiling water from the reception desk, passing a trio of other guests as they locked their door and left, probably to hit the boozers. Inside his room, Vincent was sat on the bed nearest the window, reassembling his newly cleaned gun.

Cid said nothing as he closed the door, set the steaming cup on the nightstand and took out his earlier purchase: A box. He dipped the small-bagged contents into the mug and then stood before his companion. Vincent looked up at him, questioningly.

"Drink this," Cid ordered, all but shoving the cup into Vincent's free hand. "It'll help yer sleep."

Vincent's eyes lowered to the bag slowly releasing its leaves into the hot water. "I don't – "

"Don't gimme that shit," Cid chastised, folding his arms. "Someone with your sure skill is fuckin' great for our group – but if he ain't in his game, he's a danger to the rest of us, too."

Vincent's will-power seemed to sag. "Cid, I –"

"Just try, okay?" Cid requested, leaning against the wall by Vincent's bed. "I kno – no… I can't _really_ know what hell yer go through when yer sleep. But yer _need_ sleep. Yer makin' yerself _ill_." _It's getting kinda hard to watch, now…_ "That's somethin' called chamomile, it's a tea. It'll help relax yer, and with any luck, calm those bastard nightmares."

Vincent's eyes narrowed and gave the carpet an undeserving scowl – or as close to, anyway. Some strange urge in Cid yearned for the chance to touch him, to put a hand on his shoulder. But Cid wasn't a console sort of man. That stuff was still as awkward to him as it undoubtedly was for Vincent.

He was going to object, Cid could tell. The gunman's lips parted and shut before his eyes closed resolutely, almost painfully, and his shoulders lowered as a silent breath escaped him. Cid did him the favor of taking out the teabag by the tag, tossing it in the small trashcan provided.

"You're really the expert on tea, then?" Vincent finally spoke, raising his eyes to meet Cid's blue ones. He was trying to divert the unwanted attention that had fallen on him.

Cid smiled. "You bet I am," he said. "There's no other drink that's got so many varieties and beneficial properties than tea."

Vincent's lips seemed to twitch into what could vaguely be called a Valentine smile. The light in his eyes returned slowly. "When did you discover your fondness for it?"

Cid tilted his head, contemplating his memories as he propped one leg behind the other. "Grew up with it. Ma loved her tea, had it every day. Guess I inherited her tastes."

Something curious swam over Vincent's crimson eyes. "What else did you inher – " He stopped himself, shaking his head. "Sorry. I'm prying."

Cid grinned. "Pryin' is askin' me which hand I use to wipe my ass, Vince." He paused as the gunman met his eyes again with a tilt of his head, probably surprised by the butchering of his name (pleasant or mortified, Cid couldn't tell). "I'm not gonna hold a grudge if yer wanna know about _me_."

Their held their gaze for a moment longer, and Cid felt distinctly uncomfortable with the way those crimson eyes caused a tightening sensation in his chest.

"Very well… _Chief_," Vincent said finally, a sly tone in his voice and a faint – very faint – smile curling his lips. "What else did you inherit from your mother? Your charming personality?"

Cid surprised himself as a laugh burst from his lips. "Actually, that one's all me. Ma had the blue eyes, though. Pa had blond hair."

Vincent listened respectfully. "The combination used to be very common…. Now, I have only seen two people with both features during our entire journey."

Cid knew '_used to be'_ referred to the man's 'time' thirty years ago. "Me and Cloud?"

Vincent nodded.

Cid's brow lifted slightly, recalling various other examples of his own traits. "You haven't seen Rufus Shinra before, have yer?" Vincent shook his head, and Cid realized he wouldn't have seen him at Rocket Town during the hailstorm of bullets that had chased them out. Cid shrugged. "Another example, but a bad one." Thinking about the President brought a bitter taste back to his mouth. "Bastard," he swore under his breath.

A silence fell between them as Cid sunk into a mood, his thoughts of the space rocket dredging up bad feelings again. Movement caught his eye as Vincent raised the still steaming tea to his lips and took a careful sip. Cid watched.

Minutes later he stood from the wall and flopped onto his own bed, tugging off his goggles and dropping them on the nightstand. When he closed his eyes all he could see was his first, but stolen, baby, the _Highwind_.

/

When he woke the next morning, he felt cool, even under the sheets. He had discarded his clothes, save for his boxers, and despite the comforting feel of the cotton against his skin, knew he needed to expose his body to the cold air in order to get dressed. With a quick motion, he kicked the sheets off and sat up, rubbing his face, glancing across to the other bed. He was extremely surprised to see Vincent still sleeping.

"At last," Cid whispered to himself, getting to his feet.

Vincent must have fallen asleep sometime after the pilot. During the middle of the night Cid had been woken up to the sounds of moaning, finding Vincent tossing restlessly in his sleep. It was a miracle he hadn't woken himself, but he had calmed down shortly and fallen back into a deep, mostly dreamless sleep. Either he had been incredibly tired, or that chamomile tea really worked.

Getting to his feet Cid gave a quick stretch and looked over at his sleeping companion. One hand was hidden under the pillow, and Cid knew without a doubt that it was wrapped securely around his gun. Even in sleep he didn't let his guard down. Strands of his hair had strayed across the mattress around his shoulders, his head turned to the window. His cape was half-wrapped around him, he hadn't bothered sliding beneath the sheets.

Unwilling to wake him, Cid slid on his boots silently, grabbed his goggles and left the room, closing the door as quietly as possible. He hoped Vincent could gain another few hours of sleep – it would at least make up for his lack of rest. Strange, considering just how long he really slept all those years.

He found Red and Barret downstairs in the bar area, lounging around the couch. Red rose to his feet when Cid appeared.

"Cloud's already gone to the excavation site," Barret announced, standing tall from his perch on the arm of the furniture. "Spikey-head couldn't wait 'til noon."

Cid looked around for a clock and found one hanging above the reception. It told him it was mid-morning. "Can't blame him for being impatient." Not when they were so close.

Agreeing to join their leader, they left the inn and stepped out to a cool but bright day and circumvented a large group of guests returning to the inn. A few curious murmurs followed Red as they disappeared inside.

Cloud's blond hair swam into view a few minutes later amidst the darker browns and blacks in the excavation site, and Cid was reminded of Vincent's conversation last night.

Someone was talking to Cloud when they approached. "…just cleaning it up. It's amazing, I guess that theory was true."

"They found our Harp?" Barret demanded, coming to a stop behind Cloud.

Turning to them, Cloud passed his eyes over each of them as he said, "yes. They dug it out a few minutes ago. The team is dusting it off. We can have it in a few minutes."

"Better get the group rounded up, then," Cid announced.

"I've called Tifa, she and Yuffie should be down with Cait," Cloud told him, looking back over at the tent near them. He turned back to Cid. "Where's Vincent?"

Cid was about to say the gunman was resting, but felt it was too private for the others to know. Strangely. Instead, he said, "I'll get him." And with that he took off at a sure pace back to the inn.

He expected Vincent to have disappeared, or at least be up and awake. But when he opened the door, the pale man was still sleeping soundly. Cid paused for a surprised second. It was rare, and he hated to disturb him, but they needed to get going.

Cid stood by Vincent's bed and reached down to shake a shoulder softly. "Vincent. Hey, Vince, wake –"

Vincent shot up in bed so quickly Cid didn't have time to blink, red eyes wide beneath a very dangerous scowl. The Captain was very clearly aware of the triple-barreled gun at his temple.

"Cid," the man breathed, lowering the weapon. He closed his eyes briefly and pressed a hand to his face, taking a deep breath. "Please don't stand over me," he said so quietly Cid wasn't sure he was speaking to him.

Frowning vaguely, Cid realized he was bending over the bed, a hand still on his shoulder. He gave it a squeeze before he could stop himself and let go, flopping down on the end of the bed, putting sufficient space between them. He'd never seen Vincent look fragile, but it seemed to be the most accurate description right then. Cid could only guess what nightmare he had woken up from. _Or __**to**_, said a nasty voice in the back of his mind. Cid questioned it. _You were standing over him when he was lying down. Remind you of any crazy scientist scenario?_

Well, shit.

Unclasping the water canteen that he always had clipped to his belt, Cid unscrewed the top and offered it to the gunman wordlessly. Vincent raised his red eyes to the bottle and lowered his hand from his face. He'd been caught in a weak moment once again, and Cid could feel the shame radiating from his body. Still, Cid gave him no show of sympathy, and instead adopted a firm expression and shook the water canteen stubbornly. Vincent took it.

"We got the Harp," Cid told him as he watched the man drink. "We'll be leavin' for the Forest as soon as everyone's ready."

Vincent swallowed, his composure recovering quickly, his eyes seemingly stuck to Cid's, as though he couldn't decide what the pilot would do next. It was unnerving how piercing those eyes were when they were boring into Cid's.

Feeling a little uncomfortable – not at all what Cid was used to feeling – he forced himself to stare back, even as Vincent returned the half-empty canteen and blinked softly, effectively ending their staring session. His eyes lowered from Cid's blue ones, flickering across his features before turning them on the window, frowning at the sunlight behind the flimsy curtains.

"What time is it?" Vincent finally spoke, looking back at Cid.

"Mid-mornin''" Cid said, returning the cap to the bottle and then to his belt. He offered Vincent a lop-sided smile, pleased to see that the dark circles had disappeared from Vincent's once-again flawless face. "Guess that tea worked."

The gunman gave him a semi-confirming look. There had been nightmares, but they had been bearable. He slid his long legs off the bed and stood, his hair falling back into a neat mess down his shoulders. He holstered his gun and resituated his cape mantle, tucking his chin behind it. He looked down at Cid from the corner of his eyes.

"Ready?" He questioned, emotionless as usual.

Cid stood and spied his weapon on the far wall (he'd almost forgotten it _again_). He grabbed the spear and followed Vincent out of the door. They were with the rest of Avalanche a few minutes later. The Harp was clutched securely in Cloud's hands. A gleaming, golden instrument of beauty.

"Let's go," their leader said resolutely.

With that, they followed him to the end of the village, to where the Sleeping Forest lay waiting.

/


	12. Loss

**Journey**

.

AN: Sorry for the really late chapter. But the good news is the next one is already written, so I'll be uploading it Boxing Day. Have a good Holiday, everyone.

/

"When you've used the Harp, just set it down on the ground," said a voice behind.

Turning away from the looming, dense trees of the Sleeping Forest, Avalanche found their first excavator friend standing a few feet away, his eyes on Cloud.

"I hope you find your friend. Was the man in the black cape with you guys, too?"

They all froze at this.

"What?" Cloud demanded, his vivid blue eyes large, his brow set, troubled.

The man blinked. "I forgot, but he came just after the girl. He didn't use the Harp though… but I got the weird feeling he probably didn't need it."

Cloud turned his eyes on his teammates. They all knew who the man was referring to. And _he_ was ahead of them. Not good news.

"Let's get going, then," Barret said loudly, throwing everyone from their reveries, a note in his voice that they all felt.

The excavator bid them a goodbye and watched silently as they entered the forest. No one spoke as they walked, stepping over brambles and undergrowth. Vincent flanked their rear again as Cloud and Tifa led them through the tall trees. It was only after a minute or two of walking when Cid realized that the Forest was silent. Not a single bird sang, no insects chirped… not even the leaves rustled. It was eerie.

Cloud stopped, halting the team. "Just like my dream…" he said quietly as he raised the Lunar Harp. Casting a glance at Tifa, who nodded encouragingly, he deliberately plucked the strings in a single motion, evoking a soft, pleasant array of notes that sung through the air and vibrated through Cid's veins. Warmth flooded through him.

The cadence faded slowly through the trees, and for a long second nothing but silence remained. Then, as though someone had pushed the on switch, the trees came alive; leaves rustled awake, creating a roar of noise that made the team shift about on edge. The very air around them seemed to give off a soft, green light, throwing them into a strange illumination, intensifying. A minute later the trees began to settle, and eventually the light dimmed slowly before disappearing completely. Avalanche remained frozen for a careful second.

"I guess we woke up the Forest…" Yuffie said tentatively, sheltered behind Barret.

Cloud set the Harp down on the floor and stared at it. It gleamed in a non-existent light. He looked back at the path before them. "Let's go."

A little more confident, Avalanche advanced onwards through the Forest, glancing around curiously and cautiously, as though someone might be watching them. It didn't seem too far-fetched that Sephiroth could ambush them along the forestry path, and that thought sent a sudden chill down Cid's spine. That crazy bastard may be off his rocker, but only a fool wouldn't fear him.

The trees around them seemed to follow their progress as they traveled along a sloping incline that led them to a small, overgrown gorge. A high, rocky passage led them through warming stone and underneath a huge, fallen tree trunk. The path clearly belonged to the wild, and with the exception of Aerith and Sephiroth's passage it had likely never been trod. Their fairly level terrain ended at an vertical rock face with stony outcroppings ascending like naturally formed steps.

They climbed easily, and only Cait Sith found difficulty. Barret grabbed the mog by a foot and unceremoniously dragged it with him. No one called him on his act of charity, no one dared, and even Cait refrained from thanking him more than once. Barret mumbled something about holding up the team.

Cid hefted himself up onto the pathway above just in time to watch Vincent, their rear guard, leaping gracefully from one of the lowest crags right to the ledge Cid had just climbed from, clearing an impressive distance in a single bound. There was a certain way in which a human moved that was, well, human. Vincent seemed beyond those limits. He was _in_human.

Before them now lay the large, fallen tree trunk. It was hollow, and as they passed through it Cid had to wonder just how old it had been before it had died. Even Barret couldn't reach up and touch the top. Green moss, fungi and wild flowers sprung from the aged wood, and the pilot had to admit that if they weren't on a mission to save the world he could have happily stopped to enjoy the sheer natural magic the gully emanated. When they emerged from the tree small flies gleamed like golden glitter in the sunlight, which dappled them in patches from the shadows of the high forest leaves. It was a surreal feeling to be following certain danger into unknown land, along a path of untouched beauty and wonder.

Their pathway led them along an inclining slope of white stone. Wild flowers sprung from the rock walls and the cracks in the ground, nodding gentling in their wake. Barely anyone spoke as they passed through, as though the Forest had stolen their voices. Cid kept his focus on their track, ever careful in case something attacked them whilst their attentions were divided. Cloud was doing the same, and the pilot would bet all of his gil that so was Vincent.

The white stone path winded out of sight around a bend of rocky wall. Despite the cool air, the sun had warmed up the exposed stone. Cid planted a palm on the wall as he walked, just simply because he wanted to. The trees thinned out as they followed the pathway, leading them out of the forest to look upon a vast sight. Mountains loomed on either side of the valley, the path they were on led far down across the landscape, where their eyes settled on what could only be the Forgotten City; tucked away in the distance awaiting their arrival. Large bodies of water stretched across the land between Avalanche and the City, and from their vantage point they could make out their path snaking safely around the lakes. It was a sight they had to stop and absorb.

"Aerith's down there, somewhere," Cloud murmured, to himself. They watched him silently, but he appeared oblivious to the attention. With his eyes set resolutely on the strange City, he took off again, his stride noticeably quicker.

Cid filed in behind Red as the path narrowed, forcing them to walk in either twos or single file. Their current altitude and the loss of shelter from the Forest exposed them to a cool, strong breeze, delivering both a rush of naturally refreshing air and a cold sting. Something tickled the back of Cid's right arm and he turned to find Vincent's long, rag-ended cape billowing around him like a strange curtain of red shadow. The gunman was forced to use his arm as a means of a hair restraint, preventing it from blocking his vision. He caught Cid's amused smile.

"I couldn't deal with that much hair," Cid said nonchalantly. "But then, I doubt I'd look as good with it."

Vincent eyed him for a moment, and Cid wondered what he'd said to earn that glint. Finally, the taller man said with an air of reminiscence, "Short hair was much more manageable."

A memory surfaced of Vincent telling him he wasn't used to long hair. With the new knowledge of Vincent's long slumber, Cid realized that he'd probably gone to sleep with short hair and woken up with long. It must have felt strange.

"I can't picture yer with short hair," Cid frowned thoughtfully, an offhand comment.

Vincent said nothing more, his face a blank mask behind the fluttering cape collar and the wild tendrils of his hair. It was a stunning contrast, the ink black against the flawless ivory of his skin. His eyes gleamed like crimson coals.

It took two hours for them to traverse the path all the way through the valley. Their entry to the Ancient City led them over a smooth, glass-surface moat by way of a flat stone bridge until they came to a halt, gazing ahead at a strange forest. To their east were various shell-like buildings in late stages of deterioration. They had been abandoned for so long they had long since been claimed by nature. Nothing was green, though, not even the roots climbing the structures; like wasted veins.

"Do you think anyone else has ever been here before?" Yuffie asked, a touch of respectful awe in her voice.

"I don't think so," Tifa replied, studying the small cluster of ancient structures. "It looks completely untouched."

"This way," Cloud said, taking off for the buildings, following the stone path.

They wound through the dead, deserted land until the pathways broke into several forks. Their closer proximity to the buildings made Cid realize they seemed to be either really good imitations of crustacean shells, or were in fact big-ass fossils that had been crafted into homes. If the latter was true, it made them all the more incredible. Behind them, the sky's light was dimming.

"Cloud?" Tifa said softly.

The swordsman seemed unable to decide on a course, torn between continuing along the path that led out of sight, or choosing the other routes into the strange buildings. "I don't know where she is… I just know she's here somewhere…"

"There's eight of us," Cid pointed out, adopting his logic-leader tone. "We can split up and check out these buildin's."

Cloud nodded in agreement, and they silently divided into groups. Yuffie followed Cid to the nearest structure, along the path into a canvased entrance. The material was stiff with dirt and released a cloud of dust when Cid pushed it aside. He coughed and waved it from his face as Yuffie ducked under his arm, wrinkling her nose. There was a stale, old, musty stench in the air as they moved inside, almost overpowering, filling their lungs. Cid coughed, waving the heavy dust from his breathing air.

"Look at this," Yuffie called to him.

His eyes fell on the strangely glowing orb she was bending close to. The light threw her face into contrast from the dark shadows on the short, windowless passage they appeared to be in. The interior appeared to be all wood.

"What is that?" Cid asked as he drew up beside her, reaching a gloved hand out. It hovered in the light, but he didn't touch it. Even through his gloves he could feel an energy emitting from the orb, like a warm sensation.

"Cetra lamps at their finest?" Yuffie guessed. "Life-long battery power isn't such an exaggerated notion, huh…"

Cid looked into the hallway and noticed another, smaller one. Beside it was a ladder leading into the low ceiling. He started towards it. "C'mon."

The floor above them was carpeted in centuries of dust and dried vines. Several more orbs shone around the curved room, casting just enough light for them to maneuver around ancient furniture. Their boots left deep imprints in their wake, and small clouds of filth lifted as they disturbed the air, but there was nothing much for them to find. Certainly no Aerith.

When they returned to outside the sky had begun to darken as the sun made its way down. Barret, Red and Vincent met them at their original stop, having come from a further building. They found no trace of their missing flower girl, either.

Cloud, Tifa and Cait had followed the path along a ways to the last of the shell buildings. Barret jerked his head and suggested they go find them, then led the team along the trail. As they all approached the last of the buildings, Cloud burst from the canvased doorway, his brow set firm. Tifa hurried out behind with Cait at her heels.

"I can sense him," Cloud informed them gravely when he was near. His blue eyes seemed to have gained more light, as though they had absorbed the glow of the orb lamps. "Sephiroth is here. And so is Aerith."

"We gotta find 'em," Barret announced, his tone heavy with solemnity and urgency.

Cloud stepped past him, back along the path they had just come down. "I think it's back this way." And after a second of seemingly weighing his chances of a correct assumption, narrowed his eyes in decision and took off.

"Let's go," Tifa said, following him, her pretty features tight with anticipation.

As the rest of the team followed quickly, Cid looked at Cait Sith. "Did he find somethin' in there?"

The robot lifted its hands in a sign of bafflement. "I din'nea – the lad was mumbling _something_ to himself and then took off."

Cid turned his eyes to the young leader striding ahead along the path, his pace quick, his fists bunched. He had been so worried for Aerith since she disappeared, but she had done so voluntarily, right? So, she'd be okay...

They backtracked along the path quickly until they came to the junction. Cloud paused here and turned deliberately to the track disappearing into a dense growth of strange, dark trees. He started down it, eyes fixed on the destination as his team caught-up. He could sense something in there, Cid realized.

"Everyone," Cloud addressed as he began walking towards the forest. "Be on your guard."

His tone was warning, and they didn't need to be told twice. As they followed behind, they each unsheathed their weapons and increased their alertness. It was only just before they entered the forest that Cid realized the sun had gone down completely, yet something cast light from the track ahead, in the trees. For some reason, as they drew nearer, his skin prickled with caginess and his senses seemed to strain against the silence, trying to detect something amiss. Because although there appeared to be nothing visibly wrong, _something_ wasn't right, and Cid's sixth sense seemed to be twitching its nonexistent ears.

In what could only be the center of the woods was a glowing pool of still water, reflecting the trees around it with a perfect mirror quality. Yet as they stepped to the shore of the small lake the waters were as clear as crystal. Reflections bounced around them, casting them in stretches of light despite the motionless surface. Clouds eyes seemed to absorb the light, taking on an even more vivid – practically unnatural – blue hue. Cid sneaked a glance at Vincent's to find his, too, gleamed ethereally, as though someone had lit a flame behind red screens. The Mako in their veins was drawing in the strange glow of the water.

They walked along the bank, finally raising their eyes to the structure on the other side awaiting their entrance. It was another shell-like building, but unlike the others, it didn't radiate the same sense of dwellings. There was something grander about it. It reached towards the dark sky mystically, bathing in a beam of moonlight. Cid found it hard to tear his eyes away.

A long time ago a neat, manicured path might have led the way into the structure, but now all that remained of it were half-hidden stone slabs coated in earth. It halted at the entrance of the shell where, from the darkness of the interior, a dim light glowed, beckoning them inside.

Cloud paused a moment before the threshold, but moved into the entrance with barely a glance at the rest of the team. They found themselves in the same curving interior as the other structures and followed it around and up. There were many more glowing orbs casting illumination along the edges of the corridor, casting low-standing light. Cid found himself staring intently to the pathway before them as more and more corridor emerged as they went around. The hairs on his arms stood on end, a response to the strange magical quality in the air.

A few yards further and the center of the shell opened out to them. In the middle of their spiraling path was an opening, and as they all looked over the railing they found a set of crystalized steps leading deep, deep into the earth.

Cloud reached for the edge of the opening, looking down into the depths as the team waited behind. He turned to them, a glance, and then stepped from the spiral hallway onto the strange, transparent steps. They were solid, despite having no apparent support to hold them aloft.

Avalanche dutifully followed, and as Cid stepped behind Yuffie and descended, he was utterly awestruck as they entered a completely different world: It was like stepping into space, or underwater – there was no end, no walls to mark the boundaries of this strange place. They had emerged from such a height Cid was almost convinced they had somehow crossed through a portal and were literally in outer space, looking down on an alien city. Strange pillar structures rose like crystal skyscrapers around the edge.

"Whoa…" Cid breathed, his voice echoing despite there being no visible walls for his sound to bounce off.

"This is incredible," Tifa said from in front, sounding just as stunned.

"Are we in the center of the Planet, or something?" Yuffie asked no one specifically. She looked down. "Oh man! Blugh! We are _really_ high!" She grabbed Cid's arm desperately, as though she was about to fall over.

"Don't look down, then," Cid chastised her absently, ignoring his own advice and staring intently at the alien city way below them. He could see the staircase circling around and disappearing into a building. It was then he noticed that the city appeared to be floating… there was no land, no ground – no _anything_ around it.

"Can we get off this staircase?" Yuffie pleaded loudly.

At the front, Cloud turned his attention from the city and nodded, continuing down the steps. They reached the bottom several minutes later, far shorter a time than it appeared. The staircase winded down into a small edifice and they cautiously walked through the ancient, arched doorway to find themselves on a platform overlooking a vast lake of pure, clear water. From it rose countless podiums and pillars, stairs and structures, all of various heights and sizes. Cid stared in wonderment; how had the Cetra created this place, all those years ago?

"Wow…" Tifa breathed as she moved to the curved stone balustrade. "This place is unreal…"

"I just hope Aerith's down here," Barret said quietly, looking around him with less awe and more wariness.

They all admired the sight for a second, imprinting this strange place into their minds before Cloud spotted a small set of stairs to their left and made towards them. The team followed automatically, descending the spiraling, free-floating steps all the way down to the lower platforms.

"It's so spooky," Yuffie commented softly as she openly gaped all around her. "But amazing at the same time. It's not even dusty down here."

Cid looked down at her statement and realized she was right; there was not a single patch of dirt or decay anywhere. How can that be, for a city that has been lost for centuries?

Cloud had strayed ahead, down a small set of stair to another level which led to the lake. Cid gave his surroundings another look before joining his teammates as they descended to their leader.

From the edge of the last platform rose several stumps from the lake, escalating higher until they stopped at an isolated platform. At the top of the elegant stairs, knelt on the top stage, was –

"Aerith!" Cloud called, his youthful face upwards-lit by the light bouncing from the smooth water's surface.

Cid frowned at the sight of the flower girl. She didn't respond to Cloud's call, nor did she move or make any indication she was aware of them. Her pink dressed seemed to shine like a beacon in the dreary decor of the alien city.

"What's wrong –" Red began, stepping towards the cylinder steps.

Cloud held out his hand haltingly, though his gaze never left the young woman. "Wait here," he said, cautioning. He took a running leap to the lowest pillar, landing nimbly and almost without a sound.

The team watched him ascend, unconsciously holding their breath for unknown reasons, and in the silence of their group, Tifa's words sent a jolt down Cid's spine:

"She's praying…"

The pilot realized with a chill that she was right.

Cloud reached the platform and still the flower girl did not move. They watched, enthralled, as their leader climbed the stairs and stopped. He froze. An uneasy feeling settled into the pit of Cid's stomach. Cloud shifted, but his movements were restrained, jerky, as though he was fighting control of his body. Tifa took a concerned step forward beside Cid. Cloud approached the kneeling flower girl and withdrew his sword.

"Cloud!" Red called sharply, alarmed.

Cloud raised the weapon, poised to strike.

"Dumb shit!" Cid swore as they dashed forward as one, leaping up the pillar steps. What the hell was that kid playing at? Wait – he had done something like this at the Temple crater, hadn't he?

A stunning beam of light split open from the vast space suddenly, halting the team in their tracks as Cloud gained control of himself and stepped away, shaking his head in confusion. The light shone down on the stage, bathing Aerith in a bright illumination. She opened her eyes calmly and they twinkled vividly; a beautiful emerald. She was smiling.

And with no warning, no sound, a figure spilled from the light. In one fell swoop Sephiroth landed behind the kneeling woman. She jolted abruptly and her arms fell limp to her sides. She crumpled forward, and with a stabbing knot of horror Cid saw in the abrupt motion of it all that jutting from her stomach was the blade of Sephiroth's sword.

"AERITH!" Tifa screamed.

Blood streamed down the cold steel. Sephiroth's malicious eyes glistened with evil as he turned them on Cloud. A malevolent smirk tugged at the corners of his lips. He withdrew his sword in one swift motion, jerking Aerith once more. Her hair unraveled from her ponytail, as though it was the manifestation of her lifeline. Something fell from her hair tie, something crystal green. It clinked as it hit the floor and rolled out of sight. Aerith pitched forward – Cloud leaped to catch her as she sank to the ground.

"_No_," he whispered, staring down at her hard.

Cid couldn't move. But from his position on a pillar beside Red he watched as the light twinkled in Aerith's pure green eyes one last time, before she closed them forever.

"She will return to the Planet," came Sephiroth's deep voice, cutting the silence with each deliberately pronounced word. "Now _all_ that's left is to journey north. The Promised Land awaits."

Cloud raised his head, venom and anguish burning in his eyes. "You _bastard!_"

The silver-haired man loomed from his high stature, gazing at Cloud like a lazy snake might consider a mouse. "Are those feelings, I detect?"

Cloud grew angry, confused, lips pulled back in a snarl. "_What_? Of course they are!"

Sephiroth's smirk grew and he bowed his head, shoulders shaking in a silent laugh. He raised his gaze, his eyes sharp and piercing as he began to ascend from the platform. "How _amusing_," he said nastily. Before anyone could say anything more Sephiroth disappeared back into the void of space above them, leaving grief in his wake.

Avalanche had barely begun to converge on Cloud and Aerith's forms before something fell from Sephiroth's departure – and where it landed something rapidly began to grow.

The team regained their senses and dashed forward as a hideous creature sprung from the writhing mass of organic matter. They dove between it and their fallen friend, angry, upset, devastated and shocked.

The monster continued to grow, looming over them as he swung a deformed, pulsating appendage at the group, snarling like nothing Cid had ever heard before. It was an abomination.

It caught Tifa and flung her into a podium nearby. She hit hard, crying out as the pillar cracked from the force. Barret took a blow to the abdomen from the creature, almost barreling into Cid, who dodged his teammate but failed to do so at a tentacle that swiped for him. He landed painfully, the wind knocked from his lungs. They weren't ready – they were too distracted.

Yuffie's battle cries cut through the alien noises of the monster and Cid rolled to his feet in time to see her leaping away, simultaneously throwing her shuriken. It sliced a thick chunk of flesh from the monster's torso, eliciting a roar that shook the floor beneath their feet.

Vincent's bullet shots had merged into the din but Cid watched as the man back-flipped nimbly away from an attack. Tifa was back in the fight, anger and grief twisting her features as she pounded into the creature, pouring her emotions into her attacks. She had her battle head back on. They all did now.

But it was fast, and it was strong. It saw Red's oncoming attack and slammed the hound into the ground, denting the marble surface. It swung wildly and caught Yuffie's rear assault, flinging her into the balustrade, which crumpled under the force and she tumbled out of sight, save for a hand that gripped the edge. Cid couldn't help her; he rolled under a sweeping appendage and with an angry cry rammed his spear into the fleshy side of the monster, slicing through as he ran around the base of it. It bellowed in pain and batted at him again, allowing his other teammates to launch a combined attack while it was momentarily focused on Cid. They hammered into an exposed area and it jerked back, shaking the very air with a deafening roar, tentacles and appendages flailing wildly.

A burst of fire erupted from Vincent's palm almost at the same time Tifa evoked her own fire material. The crackle as it scorched and melted at the creature's flesh was almost as deafening as the monster, and the smell of burning flesh almost made Cid's stomach turn. The monster swung out three tentacles in retaliation. Tifa dodged them, lucky in that her trajectory didn't cross paths with the erratic flailing; however Vincent wasn't as fortunate, and his maneuvers brought him into collision with a forth tentacle, slamming him not only _at_ but _through_ a nearby pillar, destroying the stage's support, which crumbled and fell into a cloud of dust and masonry.

Cid turned his focus back on the fight in time to roll away from a deadly burst of blue flame billowing from the creature's maw. Barret and Tifa flung themselves from the magical blaze and the solid ground where they had been stood bubbled and melted.

Red dived onto the back of the creature and tore at the flesh. The flame ceased as it bellowed in pain and struggled to throw off the hound.

Cid was about to rush in with Barret when suddenly from nowhere a beam of potent red energy – the likes which Cid had never seen before – split through the monster, slicing it almost in half, bubbling the flesh. It shrieked in utter agony and sagged as its body began to collapse in on itself, but it continued to squirm and flail, lashing out at Tifa. She attacked it ferociously, finishing it.

The pilot turned his gaze in the direction the energy had come from, frowning. The beam had cut cleanly through the podiums and pillars in its path, its origins too far away to see. A second later a distant roar rebated through the air.

"What the – ?" Cid began, tightening his grip on his weapon.

Barret turned to Tifa sharply. "Shit," he said to her. Something very serious played behind his eyes.

Tifa turned her eyes on the distance, a look of tense trepidation etched into her face. She – no, _they_ – were all holding their breaths. Cid turned his eyes to their focus, expecting something to charge from them out of nowhere.

But nothing happened.

"Must've controlled it," Barret murmured to himself vaguely, stood very still.

"_What_?" Cid demanded, confused. "_Vincent_ got thrown that way – "

Barret opened his mouth to reply when Tifa whirled around. Her eyes fell on the two forms of their friends and everything rushed back.

"Aerith…" Tifa whispered as she approached.

They all followed slowly as the gravity of the event finally had chance to sink in. Except Cid, who edged towards the end of the platform and stared into the distance. What had made that noise? Where was Vincent? He had been thrown very hard, was he alright? The pilot looked away, to where their leader sat.

Cloud was still cradling the lifeless body of their flower girl, his sad blue eyes playing across her face as though he was memorizing her every detail, imprinting her face into his memory forever. She looked too peaceful. If the angry red stain in her dress wasn't there she could have simply been sleeping.

How had this happened? She had been right there a few minutes ago… alive. And Sephiroth had swooped in and taken her life so easily. This wasn't how good people were supposed to die... This wasn't how _Aerith_ was supposed to die.

Cloud's eyes closed firmly, his mouth a thin, grim line of remorse and anguish. He rose to his feet with the young woman in his arms and walked away. The team remained silent as they followed, a funeral line of sorrow.

Cid turned back to the direction Vincent had disappeared and made a decision. He leapt across to the neighboring platform and then to the next, making his way cautiously to the place he saw the gunman thrown to, eyes peeled for whatever had made that sound.

It was five podiums away, on a platform floating on the water, where he found Vincent. Cid jumped down from his higher position, pinning his weapon to his back as he crouched down before the man. Vincent had fallen on his side, still and apparently unconscious, hair obscuring his face. Cid reached out and gripped his shoulder, shaking it softly.

"Vincent."

The gunman stirred, rising his head from the cold floor. His hair tumbled away and his eyes adjusted, firstly studying the stone debris around him before meeting Cid's gaze. His face was flawless; there were no injuries on his skin or marks on his clothing, despite having been thrown several hundred yards through solid structures.

"You alright?" Cid asked, a hand on Vincent's elbow as he helped him to his feet.

Vincent looked troubled, though Cid couldn't be sure what about. He looked at his hands, as though he was checking them, and then seemed to remember the pilot was there. "Cid…" He not so much said as recognized. Must have hit his head. "Is it beaten?" His voice sounded rough but whispery.

"Yeah," Cid replied, lowering his hand. "It's gone." He paused for a long second. "So has Aerith…"

They exchanged solemn expressions before Vincent lowered his gaze remorsefully. "Sephiroth…"

Cid's feelings hardened. "We'll get that bastard," he swore.

Vincent looked at him, something strange in his expression. But he gave a single nod and moved past Cid. The pilot turned to follow, but it was only then, when he was facing the direction he'd come, did he notice that the pillars in front had the same smooth, concave cut that had resulted from the mysterious energy blast. Looking around, he found that the path seemed to converge directly where he stood…

/

Aerith was taken into the crystal clear water of the lake outside. Cloud carried her carefully out to the edge of the underwater shelf and lowered her gently. She floated there for a few seconds, peacefully oblivious, before the water began to claim her and she sank slowly from their view. She disappeared into the depths without a single stir of the surface; the last they will ever see of her.

Cid watched sadly from the exit of the shell. No one sniffled, no one made a noise, and for that he was grateful of the team. They merely lowered their heads in silence and shared a full minute of respectful mourning, with only the moon to witness the passing of a much loved and admired friend.

/


	13. Icicle Inn

**Journey**

.

AN: Hope you all had a good Holiday. Thanks for all your reviews, much appreciated ;)

/

They followed Cloud listlessly out of the forest, trudging along the path until they found themselves sheltered from a sudden rain burst in one of the shell homes. The water drummed on the ground outside, as though the heavens were weeping for their fallen teammate. Cid found the sound strangely comforting, having always loved the clamor of rain. He watched it from the opening as it pitter-pattered on the dark trail.

"I don't know what I am anymore…" Cloud's voice broke the silence, his tone soft and quiet.

Cid turned to look at him where the younger man stood in the curving hallway, illuminated by the glowing orbs all around them. He stared at the floor, thoughts and feelings clearly battling for attention in his head. The team watched him quietly.

"I'm no longer sure I even came here of my own free will," their leader continued. "There's a part of me I don't understand… the part that gave the Black Materia to Sephiroth. The same part that raised my weapon to…" He trailed off, pressing his lips together in painful remembrance. It took him a second to gather himself again. "I shouldn't be doing this… I shouldn't be on this journey." He raised his eyes. "But I must. Sephiroth destroyed my hometown…" He glanced at Tifa. "Our family and friends. Aerith. And soon the Planet. I can't let him get away with any of it… I have to keep fighting… I _have_ to." He let his words settle, seeming afraid to say more, but he needed to voice these thoughts. "I have a favor to ask you," the young blond said eventually, addressing the team. They waited patiently. "I need you to save me…from doing something terrible, because… because I might not be able to stop myself."

"Of course we will," Tifa whispered, edging forward as though it would comfort Cloud just a little.

Cloud glanced at her, a flicker of gratitude in his large eyes. "I don't know what Aerith was trying to do… and now we'll never know. But we still have a chance to save the Planet. We have to get the Black Materia back. Before Sephiroth uses it."

"I guess we're the one good hope this world has," Barret said, standing straight from his slouch against the wall. He punched his gun arm into his palm. "So let's get that _fucker_ before he can destroy anything else."

Cloud gave an agreeing nod, his hair bounced softly. "Let's go."

They gathered up their idle weapons and packs, shouldering their recent tragedy and bracing themselves for the continuation of their mission. It was playing on all their minds now; the risk, the danger. They weren't just on a journey; they were on a voyage that would ultimately change their lives – that _had_ changed their lives. Any one of them could be the next to join Aerith…

The raindrops were like pinpricks on Cid's face as they stepped out into the downpour. He turned his eyes to the silhouetted forest, wondering if they would ever be back. He hoped not.

"Where do we go from here?" Cait asked atop his mog. The rain soaked into his artificial fur, making him appear darker.

Cloud turned his gaze on the path that led away, disappearing into the black cliffs overlooking the Forgotten City. A small frown knotted his brow.

"Are you alright?" Red asked, tilting his muzzle.

The question shook Cloud from his momentary lapse. "I have a feeling…" And he said nothing more as he started along the path. Cid could only guess what else had been talking to him in dreams.

The team began to follow, exchanging a few questioning looks. But Cloud had led them right in their pursuit of Aerith, and no one wanted to doubt him again.

As he fell in step behind Yuffie, Cid noticed Red had stopped and was looking back. The pilot followed his gaze and saw that Vincent had not joined them. He was staring at the dark forest, unmoving in the rain.

"He seems lost in thought," Red remarked observantly. He turned his dripping head to Cid. "Perhaps you should talk to him, break him from his reverie."

Cid looked down at the hound. "Why don't _you_?"

Red's muzzle twitched in a slight smile. "He has spoken to you much more than any of us."

The pilot gave a face. "Yer been watchin'? Maybe 'cause I'm the only one who actually talks to _him_."

Red tilted his head. "We all tried." He simply said, and then walked away to catch up to their group.

Cid shook his head with a quiet sigh, making his way back to junctions in the path where the silent man stood. The rain fell even harder.

"Hey, yer leavin' with us?" Cid asked, his voice a notch louder over the drumming.

As expected Vincent said nothing for a long moment, although his eyes drifted in Cid's direction briefly before returning to the shapes of the treetops now blurred by the rain. Finally, he lifted his chin from the cape collar and said, "She should not have died so young…"

Cid studied his profile, wondering if Aerith's death had an impact on Vincent that he didn't know of. She had been kind to him, treated him just like everyone else.

"Life is cruel," Cid answered simply. He had never been one with words concerning death. He knew how to grieve, he knew how to respect a memory, but he didn't know how to talk to other people about it. Shera had usually done the talking for him – or, in the case of several engineer friends, written out his words.

"How can we save the world if we can't save each other?" Vincent asked, his tone emotionless yet… Cid sensed something in his words. He looked exhausted, even in the dim light and the water of the rain. He seemed even more pale than usual, like something had sapped his energy.

"Aerith took off on her own," Cid started. "I think she knew she had to do it by herself…" Do _what,_ though, none of them knew. "We can't save someone who doesn't want help."

Vincent looked down at his hands. "Can't we?"

His gesture struck Cid curiously. "What do yer mean?"

"Maybe she was blinded by her… commitment, and didn't realize she was walking to her death. Is it not our duty to prevent that?" Vincent lowered his rain-slicked hands, his voice a shade softer. Distant. "Even if that help isn't wanted?"

"I suppose it's a judgment call," Cid said slowly, wondering what was going through the man's head. "Situations like that depend on circumstances and factors."

Vincent hesitated before nodding slowly, water droplets flinging away. He raised his head to stare at the treetops once again. "I made a poor decision once, and it cost someone her life. I cannot help but compare the situations…"

Cid studied him, understanding a little of this glum atmosphere Vincent was carrying on his shoulders. Without thinking he clapped a hand on the gunman's shoulder in his own consoling way and gave a shot at saying something. "Everyone has a choice; they have to make it themselves. We gotta respect other people's decisions, even if it's for the worst. In the end, it's usually the poor bastards left behind who have to shoulder the blame, whether they deserve it or not."

Vincent looked at him for that. Cid must have said something right as the man's expression had changed, his eyes a fraction wider beneath his soaked bandanna. The light in his eyes was stronger, if only a little.

The pilot gave a one-sided smile and released Vincent's shoulder, walking away. "But if it's any consolation, yer have friends now who can help yer make the _best_ call."

He could feel Vincent's eyes watching him as he followed after the rest of the team.

/

The pathway led them through a spinney of strangely shaped trees before disappearing into the mountains that overlooked the Ancient City. The trek felt heavier leaving than it did arriving, and Cid knew it had something to do with the fact that, for definite they were now one person less… (quite a contradiction). They were quiet along the way, saying very little aside from the occasional, "watch your step." Their morale had quite literally plunged and only Cait Sith attempted to mend it. But even his antics and words didn't pull enough smiles as he'd hoped. He realized Aerith's death was something they were going to take time learning to deal with.

They came upon another huge shell along their path as it cut through the mountain. It seemed like the end of the route until Barret noticed a cave in the dark rock face where the apex of the shell lent. They scaled the structure to the fissure, slipping and sliding along the rain-slicked surface, and found themselves in a tunnel. It was pitch black but dry, although because they were already soaked from the rain the latter didn't really account for much. Barret tugged out a flashlight from his pack and illuminated their way forward. It was ominous, to say the least. There were plenty of shadows and dark crevice where something could leap out at them.

"Maybe there's another way we can go," Yuffie said uncertainly, eyeing the light's reach with wariness. "Back outside?"

"Ya not claustrophobic, are ya?" Barret taunted, although his teasing didn't reach his expression.

"No," she replied definitely. "But pitch black tunnels aren't exactly welcoming."

"We have to go this way," Cloud spoke up over his shoulder, water still clinging to his cheeks. His eyes had retained the magical quality of the orbs and so glowed vividly in the dark. "There wasn't another path out there…"

Yuffie made a face, but followed closely behind Tifa as they moved forward, Barret leading the way. Cid fell in behind Cait, turning his gaze above, but all he could see was blackness. The ceiling could have been hundreds of feet high, or only a few. Anything could be lurking above them.

At that moment Barret turned the beam of light upwards, illuminating the ceiling about a hundred feet above them – along with a colony of black, human-sized bats. The light woke them instantly, and before anyone could say anything a deafening chatter filled the cavern as the mass of bats dropped from their perches and swooped down on Avalanche.

"Shit!" Cid dived to the ground, covering his head. He risked a glance to find everyone had flattened themselves to the floor as the creatures streamed over them, chattering angrily as they fled to the cave entrance and disappeared into the rain. It took a long minute for the entire colony to disappear.

When they had all gotten back on their feet Barret found himself the object of seven pairs of eyes.

"How the fuck was I to know they were up there?" He huffed.

The tunnel continued on for a long time, but maybe it felt like forever because they were moving slowly. They were attacked twice by lurking monsters that jumped out from the crevices in the rocky walls, and since then took their time to check all the sizeable cracks they passed so they wouldn't be surprised again. The ceiling had dropped during their way through, low enough for them to see the edges of jutting rocks catching the peripheral light of the torch.

"When will this cave _end_?" Yuffie moaned quietly half an hour later, closely following Red's fire-tipped tail.

"When it ends," Barret shot back at her.

"I'm getting cold," she sniffed, arms crossed tightly across her chest.

"Maybe yer should have, I don't know_, bought more appropriate clothin'_," Cid chided.

"Like I knew we'd be _spelunking_," she glared at him over her shoulder.

"Yer didn't know _where_ we'd be goin'," he retorted. "Common sense, ninja brat."

"Yeah? Well _vigilance_, grumpy pilot!" She produced a green materia in her hand.

"I _told_ yer not to pick my damn pockets!" Cid thundered, making a grab for his materia. She masterfully dodged him and danced out of reach in front of Red.

"You guys, knock it off," Tifa called back from the front of the line.

"I'm just – huh? Waaah!" Yuffie exclaimed, jumping where she stood as the materia floated out of her hand. "_Vincent_! You scared the crap outta me!"

Cid thought the materia had gained a life of its own, but now he looked he saw Vincent had ahold of it. He was almost completely merged in the shadows, only the pale color of his face was visible in the poor lighting.

"Your antics could cause a cave in if you're not careful," Vincent warned in a strangely spooky tone.

Yuffie made a face at him and trotted off back to Red's side, throwing the pale man a curious glance. She was probably surprised Vincent had intervened.

"Gotta envy yer way with the shadows," Cid stepped beside him, watching the young ninja as the light of the torch began to move away. He looked at the materia being offered to him. "Thanks," he said, resisting the urge to defend his competence to get it back himself. Any defiant words fizzled out as he met Vincent's eyes. In the darkness they looked exactly like burning coals. Cid couldn't help the thought popping into his head: _His eyes look evil._

Vincent handed him the little orb and walked off. Cid had to wonder if he'd stepped in to shut up Yuffie, to prevent all the local monsters from hearing them; or just to help _him_…. Cid 'pft'ed to himself. _Yeah right_. He walked briskly to rejoin the end of the line.

Thankfully, Avalanche didn't have to suffer the linear tunnel much longer. A short while later Barret's flashlight illuminated the rungs of a ladder disappearing into the ceiling. They stopped around the base as he shone the light up.

"Looks like it goes on quite a bit," Cait commented as his little cat head craned back to look.

"Looks like it's _old_," Yuffie emphasized. "I bet the Cetra put this here."

"It's the only way forward," Red stated, looking meaningfully to the rocky wall blocking their path.

"I'll go first," Cloud said as he took the flashlight from Barret and started climbing. Tifa mounted the rungs behind him wordlessly.

Barret turned to the rest. "You guys go ahead, I'll bring up the rear… Just in case this ancient ladder gives way, I don't wanna end up bringing none of ya down with me."

"Good thinking, you are, like, the same weight as all of us put together," Yuffie quipped as she leapt onto the fifth rung and scampered up quickly to avoid Barret's wrath.

Barret turned to the rest. "Can we _leave_ her somewhere?"

"If only," Cid said, watching Cait Sith's mog climb the ladder with the cat still sat on its head. He waited for it to disappear after the rapidly fading light before turning to Red. "Can yer climb a ladder?"

The hound tilted his head, his tail now the only source of light, casting them in a golden glow. "I've done so once before. It's tricky, but I can do it."

"Okay, then. Meet yer at the top," Cid said, leaping onto the ladder and pulling himself up towards the distant bouncing light of the torch.

The rungs were coated with dirt and dust, and a few times particles and clumps fell into Cid's hair from above. He shook them off and ignored the way some of the rungs creaked as he hauled himself past them. After a while, when his legs were started to burn and he was sweating with effort, the light came closer until he arrived at a ledge where the others had stopped. He shimmied off the ladder and stood beside Tifa as they waited for the rest.

"I thought that would never end," Yuffie exclaimed, throwing her head back as she sat on the floor, arms wrapped around her shivering body. Cid threw his jacket at her. She might have been as well to keep the damned thing.

Cloud shone the light down the new tunnel they found themselves in. "Looks like this one slopes up," he observed. "We're probably heading to the other side of the mountain."

Red crawled up from the dark ladder and shook his mane of loose dirt. He sat down. "I hope there aren't any more of those."

A metallic clink met their ears as Vincent's gauntlet reached into the light before the rest of him appeared. He jumped off the ladder nimbly as Barret's gun arm clunked its way to the top after him.

Once they had all assembled again Cloud led them down the new tunnel. It was a little wider but a lot lower, and everyone save for Cait and Red had to duck under some very low points. Cid could feel the temperature starting to get to him as they wandered up the pathway and could hear Tifa's teeth chattering.

A short time later they came to yet another dead end and a second ladder. Red sighed.

They climbed again, one by one in the same order. But luckily this was a shorter one, and they emerged into an even wider tunnel, allowing them the freedom to walk in pairs so that all of them could stay within the flashlights glow. Cid found himself bringing up the rear with Barret, following behind Red and Vincent. The hound's tail was hypnotic to watch, and more than once Cid had to snap himself out of a daze as he watched it sway to and fro. Vincent's strange, fluttering cape wasn't much better to fixate on. How did it float like that? It moved like something organic. It was interesting to compare how Vincent looked from the back with his cape on as opposed to when he had been wearing nothing but a robe in their shared room at Gold Saucer. That day seemed like years ago.

They came upon the end of the path and a curved opening through the rock wall. Cloud flashed the torch in first, panning the circle of light across the expanse of the cave. Nothing moved, so he stepped through carefully, illuminating the entire chamber.

"Is that light coming from over there?" Tifa questioned, rubbing her arms as her breath clouded from her lips. The temperature had dropped drastically.

Cid followed her gaze and noticed that over the glow of the torch, there was the faintest evidence of light at the other end of the cavern.

"I feel a breeze," Barret said. "It must be the exit."

"It's f-f-freezing," Yuffie shivered under Cid's blue jacket as they all moved into the chamber. A gust of wind blew in suddenly, delivering a biting chill and the fresh scent of snow.

They emerged from the cave to a white wonderland illuminated by the moon. They appeared to have been led to the mountain peaks, although they could see little for the high protrusions of rock and snow banks. A snowfall had started, as well.

"No wonder it's so c-c-cold," Yuffie said, digging her chin under the fabric of the jacket.

Cid was tempted to steal it back. 'Cold' was an understatement. Goosebumps had bloomed on his skin and his fingers were already starting to go numb. They would either have to return inside the cave or else risk venturing out in the hopes of finding a town or village quickly, because they were definitely ill equipped for this weather.

"We have to move forward," Cloud urged, stepping out into the snow and almost sinking in it to his knees. His cheeks had gained a cold flush but he gritted his teeth and moved on.

"Dependin' where we've come out, I think there're a few villages at the top of these mountain ranges," Cid said as they all followed, crossing his arms in a futile attempt to save his own body heat.

"The faster we move the quicker we can find one," Cait added. His mog was half hidden in the deep snow.

"Tifa," came Vincent's voice from behind Cid. Despite it not being his name, he glanced back anyway to watch the gunman remove his cape and hand it to the young woman.

She moaned gratefully as she took it. "_Thank you, Vincent_." She threw it, unclasped, around her body, almost disappearing into it and huddled to herself. Snow was already collecting in her hair as she trudged forward. Her bare legs must have lost feeling already.

Cid grinned tamely as he looked away again. So the man was developing a kindness for the rest of the group after all. Either that or the untimely death of another female member of their group had crossed his mind.

They battled over the difficult terrain and plummeting temperatures as fast as they could. The snowfall remained light but consistent, and very soon each of them were topped with snow. Barret had relented to Yuffie's hinting pleas and was now piggy-backing the girl as she shivered inside Cid's jacket. Tifa appeared fine for the time being, proving that Vincent's cape must be much warmer than it looked.

"Lights!" Yuffie called from her high vantage point, jabbing her finger in the air.

Sure enough, when they had climbed the deep snowy bank before them, they were presented with a much welcomed view of a small town nestled between several snow hills. Lights twinkled, beckoning them forward, and they happily picked up pace to get there quicker.

Cid's legs were so numb he tripped forward, pitching into the biting cold snow to his hands and knees. His body took a sluggishly long time to respond, but before he could regain his motor functions a gloved hand appeared in his vision. He gripped it, unable to feel anything, and he was pulled up.

"A-almost there, Cid," Tifa said kindly, hugging the cape again.

"I am gonna d-drink the _shit_ outta all'a' their t-tea," he promised in a flat tone as she and he continued walking.

"Warm thoughts," Tifa encouraged with a smile.

A few steps ahead, Vincent glanced back, no doubt making sure they were still moving.

A sign announced the name Icicle Inn when they arrived at the town, provoking a skeptical comment from Barret about lame names. Cozy cottages and small lodges peppered the main street they had come in on, where the middle of the road had been tracked into slush despite the snow still falling.

"Need – inn – right now," Yuffie gasped, furiously rubbing her arms under the jacket as Barret set her down.

Cloud must have possessed a sixth sense because he turned in exactly the right direction and they followed him around the corner of the street and to an old, heavy door, over which hung a sign saying' Inn'. They pushed it open and were immediately greeted by a warm gust of heated air. The door shut quickly behind them.

"My, you look absolutely _freezing_," said the elderly woman sitting behind the reception counter. She got to her feet and peered at them from the edge. "Well no wonder! What in the name of _Ifrit_ are you lot doing out there dressed like _that_?"

"Trust me lady, we didn't know we'd find ourselves in fuckin' White World," Cid griped, flexing his red raw fingers as the feeling began to return to them.

"Language, young man," the old woman warned.

Cid blinked, having never been scolded before. Yuffie sniggered.

"Can we have eight rooms, please?" Tifa asked, noticing the crackling fire first and rushing to get to it before anyone else. The snow in her hair fluttered off.

"I'm sorry, dears, I only have two rooms available, two beds in each," the woman said. "It's the resort season. It gets pretty full. People come here for the snowboarding."

"Is there another Inn?"

"There's The Lodge on the other side of town, but they will probably be fully booked."

"We'll take these two," Cloud said from the back of the rest all gathered around the fire. "But we'll see if there're any more at the other one."

"I can't go back out there," Yuffie moaned, shaking her head, soaking in the glow of the fire.

"That's fine, you and Tifa can take one of these rooms," Barret said, rubbing his arm above the gun prosthetic; it appeared to be causing him some discomfort. "If there ain't any other rooms we'll have to share the other one."

"Fine by us," Yuffie agreed, glancing at Tifa who was nodding gratefully.

"Do you want this back, Vincent?" Tifa asked, gesturing the cape she still had wrapped around her. She groped the fabric. "It's stayed _dry_," she realized incredulously.

"You keep it for now," he answered, tipping his chin automatically despite having no cape collar to tuck it behind. His leather gear had a collar but it wasn't high enough. Not a problem, he was too easy on the eyes to cover up, after all. The cold had given his cheeks a faint blush, and against his pale complexion the color contrasted too perfectly. It was like he had stepped out of a modeling advertisement.

Cid tore his eyes away and they fell on Yuffie, who noticed his gaze and tightened the jacket around her defensively.

"I'm still cold," she argued.

"Well I'm goin' _back_ out into it," he began pointedly. "So I need it more than you. _And_ it's _my_ fuc- er – damn jacket," he quickly corrected.

"Share Vincent's cape with me," Tifa told her, opening it up in offering.

Yuffie gave in and threw Cid's jacket to him. He shrugged it on, feeling the warmth she had left in it. His skin was so sore, however, that the fabric scratched his arms.

The men filed out of the warm inn, minus Cait Sith and Red, who both stayed with the girls, and back out into the freezing cold. The Lodge was a twenty minute walk away, through a windy route and around the resident hills. It was bigger than the Inn, a detached wooden building that looked down from its high position on a hill.

There was only one room available, with a single bed. The men all looked at each other.

"Fight for it?" Cid suggested casually with a shrug.

"If you wanna _die_," Barret retorted, eyeing Vincent.

"Us three will share the other room back at the inn," Cloud told them, slapping gil down on the counter. "Vincent can have this one."

To all of their surprises Barret didn't argue, and with a chorus of 'byes' they left Vincent to find his room as they ventured back out into the cold night. Cid was certain Cloud understood more than any of the others that Vincent would appreciate the separated room.

Since the inn had two single beds to a room a round of rock-paper-scissors was played to determine who would get the futon the innkeeper had given them. Cid lost after several furious minutes of stalemates, but as a consolation prize he was given first dibs on the bathroom.

"Ow – shit – fuck," he hissed as he yanked his toe back out the scorching hot water. Maybe he'd left the warm tap on too long. _Ah fuck it,_ he thought, and plunged back in. The burning pain was worth it. He puffed in and out like a fish as he lowered the rest of his body into the tub until finally he lied back against the neck rest and let out a contented, "aaaaah."

After the initial blistering had subsided he relaxed fully and enjoyed the luxury of a good bath. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply, immediately feeling the heavy calling of sleep. After the long trek they had taken from Bone Village, through the Sleeping Forest to the Ancient City, the shock of losing Aerith, the battle with the alien creature and the perilous journey through the mountain to this cold hell-hole, a simple bath felt like the best thing in the world for his tired body. He could feel sweat accumulating on his forehead already as he let his mind wander, slipping lower into the tub so the water rose to his top lip. For some reason Vincent's cold-flushed face floated into his thoughts, for no other reason than the man seemed so… forlornly beautiful. It was much more obvious when he wasn't hiding beneath the cape, and for one contemplative moment Cid tried to picture what normal Vincent would have looked like again, what he would have acted like. It was hard to imagine, Cid had no basis to go by, but he pictured the gunman wearing a simple loose shirt and jeans, his hair short like he had once mentioned. It was _still_ hard to wrap his mind around the fact that Vincent had been put to sleep for nearly thirty years, so despite his best efforts the constructed image of normal Vincent always reverted back to present Vincent, no matter how hard Cid tried. Truthfully, the current Vincent was much more… appealing to the eyes somehow. The pale skin tone and the long hair provided an elegant – ugh, dare he say it – _beauty_ to the man. And it was totally okay for him to think that. Because it was true. Very true. Blatantly true.

It wasn't weird to think that, was it?

/


	14. The Crisis From the Sky

**Journey**

.

AN: Thanks so much for the awesome reviews. Happy New Year everyone.

/

The following morning brought a bright blue sky, as though to make up for the dark events of yesterday. The snow from the night had made a fresh carpet of pure white fun, and everyone, local and tourist, were out to enjoy it.

At least, so they were told. Avalanche were so tired from the previous day they slept right through to the afternoon until the inn keeper grew concerned and went to check on the girls – who in turn went to check on the boys.

Cid had been deep in a dreamless sleep until Barret unceremoniously tripped over him on his way to answer the door, causing Cid to yell out, Cloud to bolt up in bed and the girls to burst in thinking someone was being attacked. Red watched calmly from his corner.

"Ugh, I'm too tired for this shit," Cid moaned, throwing the covers back over him and rolling into his futon.

Barret climbed to his feet and sluggishly shuffled back to his bed where he collapsed. "I ain't movin' until someone brings me food."

Tifa leaned one hip against the door frame, clothed in the Inn's complimentary bathrobe. "Breakfast was four hours ago," she said without her usual strength. In fact, she sounded downright timid. After what they'd been through, it was understandable.

Cloud stopped rubbing his face and frowned; he had been so tired last night not even his usual bad dreams had plagued him (what was it with this team and nightmares?). "What time is it?" He asked.

"Gone 12.00," Tifa told him, stifling a yawn. Yuffie had fallen against her, still half asleep in the other bathrobe and looking very groggy.

"And, by the way," the young girl said, his eyes half-mast. "We're not going out there without warmer clothes, so you guys're gonna have to get us some."

"What?" Barret demanded, slouching where he sat and staring gormlessly at the two girls. "You want us to fetch ya _clothes_? Ya damn well better give us the gil for 'em."

"We will," Tifa said firmly, more to Yuffie who opened her mouth to argue. "But we should take a day to recover and resupply, so no rush, guys."

"Thanks," Barret deadpanned.

"And while you're out there could you take Vincent's cape back to him?" She asked, her voice a listless tone. "I know he probably doesn't get colds like us, but I'd feel better if he had it with him out in that snow."

"Keep it, he's probably glad to be on his own over there," the dark man said, thumbing a mark on his gun arm. "Doesn't need bothering anymore. If he wants it he'll come and get it."

Yuffie gave a loud sniffle. "I think I'm gonna have another hot bath." She turned and shuffled out of view. "And some food would be great, guys." She called back.

"By the way," Tifa said regaining their attentions, a light smile on her face – the first in twenty four hours. "There's a hole in your boxers, Barret." And she walked away.

Barret glanced down. "Aw shit…"

/

Neither Cid nor Barret had any dry clothes to wear, having washed them in the bathtub last night. They were still hanging over the curtain railing, damp but clean. Cloud hadn't had chance to do the same, having collapsed from exhaustion waiting for his roommates to finish in the tub. As a result his bed sheets were smudged with the grime from his clothes and he had no desire to climb back into them. For this he volunteered to venture into town and get clothing and food.

"Can yer feel the cold _at all_?" Cid asked, stood by the open window smoking as Cloud pulled on his boots. Even the fresh air drifting through the small gap was enough to chill Cid to the bones through the bed sheet he had thrown over his shoulders.

"Yeah," Cloud answered, following Cid's line of sight to his bare arms. "I guess it doesn't affect me as much as you."

"It's the Mako," Barret explained simply from under his comforter. He pulled it away to expose his dark face. "Don't be too long, spikey."

Cloud merely nodded once and left the room. When the door had closed behind him, Barret drew the duvet back over his head as Red padded over to Cid and sat down beside him.

"He may be least affected by the cold, but he is most affected by Aerith's passing," the hound said wisely, gazing at the door as though he could see the blond. A short bout of respectful silence followed his words as the two men contemplated the ordeal they had come through.

"It's gonna take everyone a while to get over it," Barret said softly.

Cid blinked, turning his eyes to the white town outside the window.

She probably would have loved it here.

/

Nearly two hours later Cloud returned with various bags in hand for his teammates. Cid pulled on a new pair of combats, stripping his belt from his damp pair to secure them as Cloud tossed a few food packets onto Barret's bed and left again to drop off the girls' items. Cid dug into his bag and pulled on a warm turtleneck, a little unaccustomed to the snug-fit but enjoying the warm material all the same. He noticed something at the bottom of the bag and pulled out a white scarf very much like his old one. He grinned.

Minutes later, both properly dressed for the freezing temperatures, Barret and Cid stepped out into the snow and ducked simultaneously as a snowball soared over their heads. Kids were playing about, tourists were chatting all around and locals smiled kindly at everyone. It didn't seem right. Yesterday didn't seem real.

Cid dug his hands into his pilot jacket and tucked his chin into his scarf, unable to bask in the friendly atmosphere even just a little. He and Barret found themselves wandering aimlessly, exploring the town of Icicle Inn and the attractions and stores it boasted. They were both restless, unable to sit in their room despite needing the rest.

They stopped to grab a hot drink each from a beverage stall in the town center and sat down in a small group of snow-topped tables and chairs. They scraped it from their seats.

"Cid," Barret said as they watched the people around them, cradling their steaming drinks. "Do ya think… do ya think we can save the world?"

Cid's eyes followed a plump woman as she juggled three platters of wrapped sandwiches down a sloped pathway. "Don't know, to be honest," he admitted nonchalantly, his breath clouding before his lips. He brought the polystyrene cup to his mouth and sipped before adding, "but if we don't try we die anyway, right?"

Barret turned his dark eyes on Cid and considered him for a second. "Doesn't that scare ya?"

Cid paused before answering. "I don't think about it." It was true, he wouldn't let himself wallow in the woes of their mission. He sneaked a glance at his friend, taking notice of the lines creasing his brow. The big man was troubled, and Cid couldn't blame him.

"I am," Barret admitted, his deep voice low. He absently rubbed at his gun arm. "I'm scared I won't get to see Marlene again."

The pilot watched him a second more before the excited squeal of a woman caught his attention as she threw herself into the embrace of a man. It appeared to be a reunion, as they talked away animatedly, arms still around each other. They were oblivious. Completely ignorant of the Planet's danger.

"Do you ever regret joining us?"

Cid's attention was jerked back to Barret's question. He didn't even have to think about his answer. "Not for a second," he said resolutely.

A smirk flickered warmly across Barret's lips as he lifted his cup. "Somehow, I knew ya'd say that."

Cid mirrored his expression as he drank from his own cup. His eyes caught something familiar over Barret's shoulder and he lowered his drink to say, "Look who else is out and about."

Barret glanced over his shoulder as Vincent approached a small store and stepped inside, barely glancing at anything in the town square. The dark man turned back. "Never seen him without that cape before last night. Still looks fucking scary."

Cid drained his drink and crushed the cup, leaning back behind him to toss it into a trashcan. "He ain't so bad."

Barret gave him a look. "Yeah, well you're the only one he's ever said more than two words to." It was an exaggeration, but Barret got his point across.

"That's 'cause everyone loves me," Cid quipped, folding his arms contently.

"After talkin' to people in your town that's not hard to believe," Barret said, shaking his head in mock disbelief. "They fuckin' worship ya."

Cid caught sight of the store door opening and Vincent stepped out. He paused beyond the threshold and, as though sensing the pilot's eyes, met his gaze across the square. Even from the distance Cid could make out the vivid red of his irises. The pilot raised a hand and gestured for him to come over. He half expected the man to ignore him, so found himself quite surprised when Vincent began to make his way over. Maybe he valued manners more than they all thought.

"Take a seat," Cid told him cordially as Vincent came to a stop behind the chair beside Barret. "We won't be leavin' until tomorrow so kick back."

Vincent lowered himself in the chair as Cid called to the beverage stall for another hot drink and rummaged in his combat pockets for gil. Half a minute later the pilot sat the steaming drink on the table before Vincent. He looked down at it as though it might tell him just why he had actually sat down instead of walking away.

Cid settled comfortably into his seat. "Never actually been here before," he said conversationally, glancing around at the buildings lining the borders of the square. "Passed over plenty of times in my plane." Owch, thinking of the _Tiny Bronco_ moored in the sea still brought a bitter jolt.

Vincent's eyes flickered over the rooftops. "Perhaps after our mission you can return," he said, meeting Cid's gaze again.

"It'll be the first stop in my new plane," the pilot affirmed with a smile, longing for the time when he could lose himself in his hanger, constructing a new aircraft from blueprint to model. "Bet yer kid would love it here," he directed at Barret, who was staring at Vincent from the corners of his eyes like he'd never met him before. Cid bit his lips to suppress a smirk. It occurred to him the rest of Avalanche had probably never seen Vincent's full face before; or had never taken notice. Barret looked suspiciously shocked… like Vincent had stolen the face from some innocent model and had the audacity to walk around wearing it. Cid had to try really hard not to laugh.

"Yeah," Barret said, turning his eyes to Cid. "She would." He drew another side-long glance at Vincent.

"Heads up!" A young voice called.

Snow exploded on their table, spraying them with cold icy shrapnel. Miraculously, Vincent's untouched drink remained standing.

"Sorry!" Came the voice.

The three men observed each other's snow-speckled appearances in a state of mild shell-shock before Cid jerked his head around to find the culprit.

"Hey! Watch it!" He called angrily, using the back of his hand to wipe the snow from his face. "Fuckin' punk," he muttered under his breath.

Barret guffawed. "It was worth getting pelted by a snowball just to see your face. Looked like someone had just grabbed ya by the balls and squeezed."

Cid opened his mouth for a retort but found a burst of laughter escaping instead. "Couldn't have been as bad as yer face – yer still makin' it!"

"Fuck you!" Barret laughed, reaching for the ground and scooping up a ball of snow.

Cid barely had time to raise his arms as the snow splattered against his forearms and Barret gave a loud hoot. Cold drops fell down the turtleneck to his collarbone but he barely noticed as he reached back on two chair legs to scrape a ball of snow from the table behind him. Barret took the opportunity to push the chair with his foot and send Cid falling backwards with a "whoa!" He landed in the snow with a FWUMP. Someone laughed in the background.

"Just yer wait – _we share a room_," Cid threatened, feeling the cold snow on the back of his head. He climbed to his feet and righted the chair, sitting back down as Barret smirked at him. Cid brushed off the back of his hair. "That was cold." He lifted his gaze as someone walked past to another table and found Vincent watching him warmly, his expression soft, having been amused by the their antics. Cid gave a lopsided grin in light of the humor and noticed the drink. "That coffee's not poisoned, Vince."

The man looked down at the drink as though it had just appeared there. He seemed to contemplate the hot beverage before saying, "if your juvenile behavior is anything to go by you might be wrong."

Barret looked indignant for a second before catching onto Vincent's subtle wit. He cracked a grin. "You cheeky bastard."

Cid smirked, holding the red-eyed man's gaze as he finally took a sip from the cup.

A few minutes later they left the table, managing to convince Vincent he had nothing else to do but join them. He was hesitant, almost reluctant, but he relented to Cid's request. That itself was a pretty big achievement, and Cid couldn't help feeling glad Vincent chose companionship over solitude. He enjoyed the man's company, despite his tendency to say absolutely fuck all.

Barret's phone began ringing from his pocket. He pulled it out and answered. "Tif? Ya sound like shit… Damn. How long? Well shit, that'll set us back… Nah, can't be helped." He stopped walking as he listened. "Yeah, sure. Bye." He stuck his phone back in his pants and turned to Cid. "Tifa _and_ Yuffie've come down with pretty bad colds."

"Shit, how long's it take for a cold to run its course?" Cid asked, clueless. He couldn't remember the last time he had come down with anything.

"A few days?" Barret guessed.

"Can we afford to wait that long?"

"We're gonna have to, can't leave 'em behind." Barret dug into his pocket and pulled out some gil, counting it. "Tifa asked me to get 'em some medicine, so I'll see ya later." He dropped the money back into his pants pocket and started walking away from Cid and Vincent. "By the way, when you head home, bring beer. Lots of it." He disappeared down a cobbled side street.

Cid turned to Vincent, hands in his pockets. "Yer hungry?"

"…No."

Cid eyed him suspiciously. "When's the last time yer ate anythin'?"

Vincent looked at him, probably a little indignant by the pilot's prying. But considering what happened last time, Cid's question wasn't out of line. "I don't know."

The pilot jerked his head in a direction. "C'mon, I'll buy dinner. I'm starvin'." He started to walk but Vincent didn't follow. "What's wrong?"

The gunman hesitated before answering. "I'm returning to my room. I'll get something there."

Cid felt a little disappointed, not to mention confused. "…Okay. Just…" He rummaged for his wallet and withdrew a few gil notes. He walked back to Vincent, grabbed the man's hand and slapped the money in his palm. "Don't insult me by refusin' it. I _know_ yer ain't got any."

Vincent's eyes flitted over the money in his hand before finding Cid's gaze. An expression of uncertainty ghosted over his flawless features, something conflicting swirling in his eyes. He didn't seem to know what to say.

Cid slapped his arm amicably and began walking away. "If yer change yer mind I'll be piggin' out somewhere."

Vincent watched him until he had disappeared from view.

/

He found a hearty pub in the town center that served some of the best meat Cid had tasted, even compared to Stony Willows. He indulged in starters, mains and pudding, deciding that if they weren't able to stop Sephiroth at least he could summon up the taste of the apple tart for his last memory. He'd go down smiling.

Daylight faded early in the North at this time of year, so the sky was almost black when he left over an hour later, yet it was too early to retire to the inn. He found himself wandering the lamp-lit streets, watching people still bustling about. His only company was his mind, and it seemed adamant it wanted to fixate on Vincent, even when he tried forcing something else into it. He was beginning to find this admiration of the gunman a little uncomfortable – in his _own_ mind, damnit!

He found himself entering the town square again from a small street of cheerfully lit shops and noticed the one Vincent had walked into earlier. He approached it and read the name. It was a weapons shop. Cid entered out of boredom.

The bell above his head twinkled, alerting the shop owner to his presence. The mid-age, balding man smiled kindly as he appeared from behind his counter, a box of ammunition in one hand and a single bullet pinched between the fingers of the other. "Can I help, sir?"

Cid shook his head. "Nah, I'm just…" He caught the detail of the bullet, recognizing the shape. "That for the long haired man that came in today? With the red eyes?"

The old man tilted his head inquisitively. "Why, yes. He placed an order for some highly unique shells."

Having quite an interest in firearms himself Cid knew the look of Cerberus's bullets quite well. "He paid for it yet?" He questioned, wondering how the gunman was going to do so without currency.

The bald man gave a slight frown, so Cid explained he was a friend. The owner put the single bullet in the box and closed it. "No. Actually, he asked if I could put them aside, and if there was anywhere that employed a temporary monster hunter. I assume the poor fellow's broke and needs the cash to pay for his bullets. I just hope he's got enough left for the _job_."

_Wouldn't slow him down, anyway,_ Cid thought, recalling how sharp his gauntlet was. "Ah hell, I'll pay for 'em, how much?" _Damn, ain't like me to be so generous. Fuckin' pretty boy manipulatin' me with that face. This fills my kind quota for the whole freakin' year._

The owner looked mildly surprised. "Well, aren't you a good friend." He reeled off the price from a small invoice sheet, and Cid paid.

"When he comes in for 'em, tell him he owes the Captain lunch," Cid said, refusing to take the box the owner held out for him.

Smiling, the old man put them under the counter. "Will do."

/

The last spend of the night for Cid was for a six pack of beer and two new packets of cigarettes, one of which he opened on his way back to the inn. He passed a single tree in the middle of a small plaza and found himself looking up at the bare branches, wondering what sentiment it had to the town in order for it to remain standing in an otherwise tree-less area.

Looking around, he realized he had wandered into the less populated and busy side of town, the quiet residential areas that only gleam the distant sounds of the town center's chatter. Where was the inn, again?

The sound of footsteps crunching in the snow drew into earshot and Cid turned to watched Cloud emerge from a small stone alleyway into the light of a streetlamp. He had bought himself a winter jacket, probably playing it safe even if he didn't feel the cold like normal people. His hands were in his jacket pockets and he wore an expression of a man lost in thought, until he noticed Cid.

"Hey, tell me that's the way to the inn," Cid said, motioning in the direction Cloud had come from.

The younger blond approached slowly and shook his head. "Sorry, I've been walking for a few hours now."

Cid sighed. He lifted the six-pack dangling from his forefinger. "Got a date with Barret," he explained. "Heard the girls've got a cold."

Cloud nodded, his chin disappearing behind the collar of his winter jacket. "Of all the things to slow us down."

Whatever Cid was about to say next was interrupted by the creak of an unoiled door. In the silence of the plaza it seemed twice as loud. Both pairs of blue eyes turned to the open front door of an old, dark house. There were no lights on inside at all.

Cloud walked up to it and glanced into the black shadows. "Hello?" He called, gripping the door as it began to swing slowly on its ancient hinges. No one answered.

Cid took a drag on his cigarette as he watched. "I don't think anyone lives there," he said, blowing out smoke. "Just close the door and let's go."

The ex-soldier didn't seem to hear him. Something inside the building had gained his attention, but nothing Cid could see or hear. Cloud released the door and disappeared inside.

"Ah shit," Cid sighed, shaking his head. He took a last smoke on his cigarette and then stomped it out in the snow, but paused. He remembered, in what seemed like a lifetime ago, Aerith telling him to fold the dog end in a tissue she had given him. Cid pulled out the receipt from the store, picked up his cigarette end and folded it up. Then he followed Cloud through the door.

His eyes took a few seconds to adjust while he stopped on the other side of the threshold. He stepped down a set of steps into the large, circular room, panning his gaze across the various strange instruments and equipment that had long since been outdated and replaced with upgraded technology. Just a quick glance at them told Cid they were over twenty years old at least. They should have been in a museum.

His attention turned to a large model of the Planet stood between two machines and he gave it a careful push. Cobwebs pulled taut as it rotated slowly on the support axis.

"No one's been here in a _long_ time," Cid commented.

Cloud had stopped before a large, old oak desk at the far end of the room, looking down at the dust-encrusted surface. He turned to the antiquated machines along the wall by Cid and noticed a monitor screen. Something must have urged him to push one of the console buttons.

The crackle of the monitor drew Cid's focus from the globe as a picture faded into view. Both he and Cloud watched as the form of a man swam into focus. He was wearing a white lab coat and a pair of glasses that hid his eyes. His mustache was cut in an old style; it was likely this house belonged to him if the style was anything to go by.

The man moved from the camera allowing them to see the room and walked to stand beside a young woman. She looked between mid-twenties and early thirties; it was hard to tell with the quality of the video. She was wearing a long silken dress with another garment wrapped around her waist, and hair almost as long as Tifa's.

"Camera's ready," the man told her, his voice distorted slightly through the old audio speakers. She nodded, and he said in a clear voice, "So, Ifalna, please tell us about the Cetra."

The woman turned her eyes to the camera. "Two thousand years ago, our ancestors, the Cetra, heard the cries of the Planet. The first people to ever discover the Planet's wounds _were_ the Cetra at the Knowlespole…"

The man had folded his arms as she began, but he gesticulated as he next asked, "Tell us, where is the land known as 'Knowlespole'?"

Ifalna brushed a strand of hair from her shoulder. "Knowlespole refers to _this_ area. After the discovery of the Planet's wounds the Cetra then began a 'Planet-reading'."

"What exactly does 'Planet-reading' entail?"

The woman tilted her head, contemplating her words. "I can't explain it very well, but it's like having a conversation with the Planet. It said something fell from the sky… making a large wound." She lowered her gaze to the floor. "Thousands of Cetra pulled together, trying to heal the Planet. But due to the severity of the wound, it was only able to heal _itself_ over many ye…."

The video became increasingly distorted due to age, until both picture and sound were too warped to understand. Static jerked about on the monitor until the video tried to realign itself. After a few seconds it returned, jumping occasionally before settling down.

"…Yes. The energy that was needed withered away the land… then the Planet… The Planet tried to persuade the Cetra to leave the Knowlespole, but…" She appeared distant, unsettled.

"Ifalna, let's take a break…"

But the woman shook her head and continued, going on to explain how _something_ appeared, something sinister. She called it 'the crisis from the sky'; the one who injured the Planet. "It looks like our dead mothers… our dead brothers... Showing us specters of their past. It brought with it a virus. The Cetra were attacked by the virus and went mad… transforming into monsters…" She pushed the heel of a palm to her face, distraught by this strange retelling. "Then… just as it had with the Cetra at the Knowlespole… it approached the other Clans… infecting them all with the virus…"

The man moved behind her and placed his hands comfortingly on her shoulders. "You don't look well… Let's call it a day…"

The screen went black.

Cid and Cloud exchanged expressions.

"… That woman. She was a Cetra…" Cloud speculated.

"The Planet has an injury it's still healing?" Cid ran along his train of thought. "The Crater." He paused and eyed Cloud. "What made yer come in here?"

The younger blond looked confused. "I don't know, I just got this feeling…" He noticed the look Cid gave him. "Not like when I can hear Sephiroth… it was different." He turned his eyes back to the monitor, where the names of three files blared in block font. "'What is Weapon'…" Cloud mouthed, reading. He used the trackball to click on it. Another, similar, video appeared on the monitor.

"Ifalna, can you comment on the thing called 'Weapon'?" The man was stood by the console this time, looking back at the woman who was stood by the desk. She nodded.

"The one the Professor mistook for a Cetra was Jenova… 'The Crisis from the sky'. The Planet knew it had to destroy it, for, you see, as long as Jenova exists the Planet will never be able to fully heal itself."

"Jenova…" Cloud whispered, his lips parted in absolute focus on the video.

"Back then, Weapon was an actual weapon the Planet created of its own will?" The man asked.

"Yes, but there's no record of Weapon ever being used, because a small number of surviving Cetra managed to defeat Jenova and confine it. The Planet had created Weapon in its defense, however it was no longer necessary to use it."

"So Weapon no longer exists?"

"Weapon cannot vanish," Ifalna told him. "It remains asleep somewhere on the Planet. Even though Jenova is confined, there may come a time when it comes back to life, and Weapon will fulfill its duty. The Planet has not yet fully healed, it still watches Jenova…"

"Where _is_ Weapon?"

The woman turned away. "I don't know. I can't hear the voices of the Planet very well… Times have changed…" She rubbed her eyes, either tiredly or in frustration.

"Thank you, Ifalna, that will be all for today…"

The screen faded once again as Cloud blinked, processing the information.

"So it's true," he said in a quiet tone. "Jenova isn't a Cetra. It really did come from the skies…"

Cid's eyebrows disappeared beneath his goggles. "What?! Jenova came from _space_?"

Cloud nodded. "Just before we met you in Rocket Town, we had a run in with Sephiroth. He spoke of the Reunion and referred to Jenova as the 'calamity from the skies'. Until then we thought Jenova – and Sephiroth – were Cetra. But he's not, he's something else entirely…"

Cid stared at him. "An _alien_? Are you _shittin'_ me?!"

Cloud turned his eyes on Cid's darker ones. "Still want to be the first man in space?"

Closing his gaping mouth, Cid gave him a look. "Cocky kid. But seriously, all this time and Sephiroth was actually half alien…? I've seen and heard some pretty fucked up things on this mission, but that takes the tea and biscuit."

Cloud gave a nod, agreeing. He looked back at the screen, once again baring the file names. "But this Weapon the woman was talking about… it must still be asleep somewhere."

"Kinda scary thought," Cid muttered cynically.

"There's one more file," Cloud said, moving the trackball to highlight the last one, titled Confidential. Two more files appeared after he had clicked. 'Daughter's Record: 10th Day After Birth' was selected.

The monitor gave a fuzzy line of static, but remained black as audio rattled through the old speakers. The woman's voice came through, though there was affection in her tone that was absent in the previous videos.

"What are you doing, Pro – I mean, Honey?"

"Oh, I'm thinking of taping it, but the video's not working," came the man's voice with equal amount of fondness.

The woman's next words crackled and were distorted, but the man's reply was clearer.

"No, that's not it. I'm going to record our beautiful daughter. But first we have to figure out a name! We can take video later."

"I've already decided!" The woman exclaimed excitedly. "If it's a girl then it'll be Aerith. That's that!"

The delighted reply of the man was unheard as Cloud and Cid slowly turned to stare at each other in complete shock. The video gave another crackle and ended.

"This is gettin' a little too coincidental…" Cid said carefully, slowly, eyeing Cloud as though it was his doing.

"They were Aerith's parents…" Cloud stated softly. "Her real mother…" He quickly clicked the second file, 'Daughter's Record: 20th Day After Birth'.

The video was operational for this one. The man was still in his lab coat as Ifalna approached him, conversing about their growing baby girl. It was strange to watch, seeing such a scene from over twenty years ago – of Aerith's parents, no less.

They embraced in the video, a touching scene, until the sound of loud, consistent banging on the front door broke them up. Before either of them had taken a step towards it, it flew open and a squad of Soldier filed in, weapons in hand.

"It's them!" Ifalna shrieked. The man stepped protectively in front of her.

"Heh, heh, heh… I've been searching for you, Ifalna," another lab-coated man drawled as he entered last. "Or should I say, Cetra." He came to a stop before the two. "Long time no see, Professor Gast."

"Hojo," Professor Gast hissed. "How did you know?"

Hojo latched his arms behind his back confidently. "I had to turn over a stone or two to find you. Two years I waited, that's how much I wanted this sample…" He gave a sadistic chuckle.

"No…" Gast looked horrified. "Not Aerith…"

"Aerith, hm? Nice name…" His voice was dripping with derision.

"I've severed _all_ ties with Shinra. Hojo, please _leave_…."

But they didn't leave. No amount of pleading would shift the scientist, not even when Ifalna went down on her knees to beg. Hojo cared only for the samples of her and her daughter. Cid and Cloud watched as Hojo ordered a guard to take out the camera, but even after visual loss the microphone continued to record the sounds of a struggle, finally ending with Hojo's snide comment, "Hm? A video. 'The Ancients?' 'What is Weapon?'… A _mountain_ of treasure, thank you Professor…"

It ended.

The two blonds left the empty house a few minutes later, tossing around revelations and the content of the videos, overloaded on new information. Cloud's mind was clearly reeling from what he had just watched, being unresponsive to some of Cid's questions and too deeply lost in his own.

The pilot returned to the inn on his own, after Cloud decided to wander a little longer with his thoughts. Once in his room Cid dropped the beer pack on Barret's bed, the owner of which looked at him from under the sheets.

"Fuckin' got a cold," the man moaned angrily, his voice thick and bunged.

Cid, having been ready to explain what he'd just seen, paused, shrugged, and said, "More beer for me, then."

/


	15. Gold Eyes and Anger

**Journey**

**.**

AN: Sorry for the late update. Uni's being a real pain.

/

There was an icy draft when Cid woke in the morning to the sounds of Barret's snotty coughs, and Cid traced the source with his bleary eyes to the window he'd forgotten to close last night. As a result the room was quite literally a freezer box, right down to the ice accumulating on the inner window frame.

Wrapping the sheets around himself he tripped his way over and closed the window. He glanced out at the snowy streets below, watching couples and families playing, dancing and frolicking in the steady fall of white weather.

Barret moaned miserably in his pillow and snuffled loudly. Cid scrunched his nose. It was only then he noticed Cloud and Red were gone. Their leader had returned at some point during beer number three last night and had gone straight to bed. Apparently he had left early that morning, probably with Red. _Could have at least closed the fucking window,_ Cid griped. He shuffled into the bathroom and ran the tub water, closing the door to confine the heat. Let Barret freeze, it wasn't like he could get another cold.

The bath was the wake-up call he needed, but he had just settled for a few minutes when the door opened and Barret appeared, leaning on it for support.

"I think I'm gonna hurl," the big man groaned.

"Over there, over there," Cid pointed quickly. Barret looked stoned, so it was likely he couldn't make out the tub from the toilet.

After listening to the wonderful sounds of Barret tossing up bile, Cid decided he couldn't quite enjoy the rest of his bath and drained it, dying off to the cool air Barret had consequently let into the bathroom from the open door. With the towel wrapped around his waist he went about trying to find his clean undies, which had disappeared under the mass of sheets, empty bags, food and other bits on the floor. At that second someone knocked on the room door and Tifa popped her head in, looking just as bad, if not worse, than Barret. Her nose was red, her eyes glassy, her hair in complete disarray and tissues clutched in hand… Cid crinkled his nose again.

"Go away, I don't want _your_ germs ontop of _his_," he said, locating his boxers and slipping them on under the towel.

"Don't be mean," Tifa mumbled, unabashed or oblivious by his semi-nakedness. She trudged in and closed the door, shuffling to Barret's bed where she collapsed, pulling her blanket tighter around her. "We're out of medicine, has Barret got any left?"

Cid let the sounds of Barret still hurling fill the silence. "Only what he's just thrown back up."

Tifa made a sickly face. "Ugh, Cid…"

Cid grabbed his combats and pulled them back on while he said, "Fine, I'll look." He shifted through Barret's pack but eventually found his medicine under his futon on the floor (how it had gotten there he didn't know). "Here, I'll grab some more while I'm out." She thanked him as he pulled on his turtleneck, tugged on his gloves, grabbed his jacket and reached for the door.

"Cid…" she called hesitantly before he could leave. "… Is there anywhere in town that makes proper milkshakes?" She gave a faint smile. "When I feel better I want to try one before we go…"

The pilot paused for a second, remembering the last time 'milkshake' popped into conversation. "I'll look out for 'em," he said. Her smile widened a little and she closed her eyes. He wrapped his scarf around his neck and left.

/

The air seemed, if possible, colder than yesterday, and the slowly falling snow stung his cheeks until after a few minutes he acclimatized to the temperature. By the time that happened he had reached the town square again and realized he had no destination in mind. He had a whole day to kill, possibly several. Who'd have thought that when they finally had time to recuperate he was too restless to sit still and relax?

He did what he always does when he has nothing else to do; he took a walk. He considered returning to the abandoned building with the videos, but he had already seen and heard plenty there, and he would rather have a break from such a heavy information overload. He still couldn't believe Jenova was a freaking alien…

His stomach growled loudly. So loud, in fact, a passing young woman turned to find the source of the noise and smiled in amusement at him. He hurried to find breakfast, locating a small café that sat atop an L-shaped mezzanine above a collection of tourist stalls. He had a nice view from to the lower part of town down a hill, and noticed in the distance that several people had taken their personal sleds to a cluster of hills and were sliding down them freely. It looked fun.

Beyond the town the hills of the higher North glazed into the atmosphere, and nestled among them was the vast lip of the Northern Crater. Was Sephiroth making his way there? And would this delay cost them in their quest to stop him?

"Hi," came the voice of a woman.

Cid looked up to find one of a waitresses smiling at him, an empty tray balanced on one palm. She looked about a few years younger than him, a warm light of friendliness in her brown eyes.

"You've been staring at that view for some time," she said observingly, picking up his empty tea cup and placing it on the tray. "You thinking of going snowboarding?"

"Actually, I was," Cid said, looking across the town at the gondola visible through the evergreen trees, up on the side of the mountain. "Never been snowboardin' before."

"Best sport on the Planet," the young woman assured him, taking his plate. "Once you try it, you'll come back for more."

_If I'm still alive,_ he thought. He paid for his breakfast and left the café, oblivious to the woman's clear interest in him, and began walking towards the resort side of town where the number of tourists dressed in their skiing gear became higher. The snow began to fall thicker, but it only made the people happier. The entire scene couldn't have been more removed from reality; Cid could easily forget there was a life-ending threat out there.

Someone bumped into him and he swore loudly as he stumbled, earning a disgusted look from a couple walking by. The kid who had run into him apologized fleetingly before taking off, exclaiming something to his friend about a dog with a fire-tipped tail. A second later a whole group of kids swarmed past in following, chattering excitedly. Red really knew how to gain attention.

The pilot found he had wandered to the snowy park where people were taking their personal sleds down some of the free, more gentle of slopes. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and watched the fun from atop one of the hills, wondering if he should add Icicle Inn to his list of places to take – or recommend to – Shera. She had never been here either. He honestly didn't know if she even liked snow sports.

"Seems I owe you lunch," came a smooth, deep voice.

Cid jumped, startled as he whirled around to find Vincent stood beside him, watching him coolly. "Fuck," Cid swore, shaking his head, snow flicking from his hair. "Yer scared the shit outta me."

"Why did you pay for my ammo?"

Cid straightened out his jacket, hands still deep in the pockets. He threw a sidelong gaze at his companion and shrugged. "Spur of the moment shit. Don't question it, I don't usually do 'kindness'." Cid adopted a grand smirk. "Consider yerself privileged."

Vincent's eyes flickered between his. "Privileged to pay you back?" He questioned sardonically.

Something inappropriate stirred the deep recesses of Cid's mind at that comment, but instead he said, "exactly. But I'll letcha choose where to buy me lunch."

Vincent's shoulders seem to deflate very slightly as he set an expression of doubt. "Cid…" He began negatively.

However, at that minute Cid, whose attention had been captured by a neglected snow sled nearby, narrowed his eyes and grinned. He grabbed Vincent's bicep as he exclaimed, "c'mon –" and literally dragged Vincent to the sled and hopped in, the momentum of which set the sled rolling down the hill. "Woohoo!" Cid yelled as it picked up serious speed. He grinned like a big kid, leaning back as the falling snow rushed by them like a blizzard. He glanced back at Vincent, whose hair streamed behind like swirls of black ink, eyes open fuller. His hand and claw gripped the sides of the sled, but his expression was what brought a burst of laughter from Cid, exhilarated by the rush of excitement.

The hill tapered to a level and the sled slid to a rapid stop, jerking both occupants forward. Vincent was out before Cid had even stood up.

"I haven't ridden a sled since I was a kid," Cid recalled with a grin still plastered on his face. He wiped the snow from his face and turned to Vincent. "What say, wanna go again?"

"No."

Cid was undeterred. "Live a little, Vince. Who knows how long we have left." He picked up the sled's tether and began dragging it from the bottom of the hill as other sleds whipped by. "Yer looked quite surprised."

"You high jacked me into a sled," Vincent deadpanned, a disapproving glimmer in his snow speckled expression. The pilot suspected he was more annoyed with himself for allowing Cid to pull him in than the thrill of the ride. "And I won't be taking you anywhere to lunch. I will simply return your money." He turned and began walking away. "You can buy yourself lunch."

The excitement and joy vanished instantly as Cid watched. The smile slipped from his face, replaced with a frown. "Hey," he called, annoyance edging his tone as he trotted to catch up. "What the fuck's wrong with _you_? Hey!" He grabbed Vincent's arm, but the man wrenched it from his grip and turned his red eyes on Cid's blue ones, halting in the snow as the pilot gave him a confused glare. "Why're yer so fuckin' _cold_? Why can't yer just _enjoy_ somethin' for once?"

Vincent glared him down for a second. Snow fell between them, flaking their hair. "Leave me alone, Cid… Just… stay away." He turned away once again.

Cid felt anger and confusion bubbling inside him. "Why?" He demanded to Vincent's retreating back. "Because yer _different_?"

Vincent froze.

"I heard what he did to you," Cid called, caring little for delicacy on the subject now. He hadn't wanted to call light to the fact he knew about Vincent's ordeal, he hadn't wanted Vincent to feel that shame. But it came tumbling out without a second thought. "I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. But you ain't makin' this easy for yerself… Can't yer stand to be around anyone anymore? Is _that_ it?"

Vincent's head turned to his shoulder, his profile dotted through the snow. "Yes."

Cid wasn't convinced with the quality of his answer. It was fake. "I don't believe yer."

Vincent's profile disappeared. "I don't care."

Cid took a few steps forward, closing their gap slightly. "Then why the hell talk to me at all? Huh? Yer never said two words to anyone when I joined you guys. Since then yer've held whole fuckin' conversations with me."

"My mistake," Vincent said slowly, each word clear and sharp.

"Don't gimme that bullshit," Cid yelled, pointing a finger, feeling his anger escalate. He was prone to short tempers, and until now he'd been proud of himself for having no recent incidents. "You really piss me off, even if yer _have_ got some traumatic syndrome shit goin' on. If yer've got a problem with me, tell it to me straight, don't screw me off with no explanation."

Vincent turned around. His eyes were blazing red. "My problem with you is you talk too much."

"Didn't look like it bothered you all that much _yesterday_!"

"_You're impossible_," Vincent growled, his voice louder, his face contorting. Had Cid looked closer he would have seen a shadowy aura surrounding him. A warning.

"Only the _Master_ would know," Cid snapped, offering a mock courtesy with his palms skyward.

Vincent's eyes narrowed and lips parted, about to retort, but his expression changed almost instantly from rage to pain, and a hand flew to his head as his eyes clamped shut. He stumbled back on his feet.

Cid's rage fizzled away quickly as concern took prominence. He faltered where he stood, aware of sleds and fun still playing in the background around them. When Vincent fell to his knees in the snow, the pain evidently increasing, Cid jogged to his side and dropped to his own.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Cid asked, placing a hand tentatively on the gunman's shoulder.

Vincent grunted. If Cid didn't know better he would say the man seemed to be struggling with something. His expression twisted in concentration, his right hand gripping his head while the left fist hovered safely away.

"What's wrong?" Cid demanded again, gripping the shoulder firmer.

His question roused Vincent's attention and as he glimpsed at him Cid recoiled. Vincent's eyes were no longer red, no longer human. They were pure golden and... glowing. Cid had seen this once before, but not so close. It was chilling to see such an abnormality.

Vincent took a loud, shuddering breath, gathering control over whatever seizure he'd just experienced. His features relaxed slowly and his head bowed, looking exhausted. It passed quickly. When he next opened his eyes they had returned to their usual crimson, but his pupils were blown wide.

Cid remembered the conversation they'd had back in Stony Willows and came to a realization. "This happens when yer get angry…"

Vincent refused to meet his eyes, instead opting for silence as he climbed awkwardly to his feet with Cid's aid. He didn't resist the help. Cid wasn't entirely convinced he was aware of it.

"What is it? Are yer alright?"

He hadn't meant to sound so concerned, but it was undoubtedly what drew Vincent's eyes to his, a look of insecurity in his expression. He knew what had happened to him, it was clear in his expression. He wasn't about to share it with Cid, though. Fine.

"Hey, Mister, you alright?" Came a young voice. A boy had hopped off his sled a few yards away, having witnessed Vincent's short episode.

"It's okay, kid," Cid said dismissively, leading Vincent from the bottom of the sled tracks. Only when they were safely out of the way on a small snowy bank by a wooden shelter did Cid release the gunman's arm.

"That's not how I usually end arguments…" Vincent said faintly, resting a supporting hand on the shelter, hair obscuring his face.

"Oh yeah? How do they usually end?"

"With a bullet," Vincent answered apathetically, raising his head to peer at the pilot through his bangs. His expression bore no hostility, though.

Despite himself, Cid chuckled, shoving his cold hands back into his pockets. How did this man manage to get under his skin one minute and make him laugh the next? "Lucky I didn't _pay_ for my own death, then."

The defiant edge in Vincent's eyes softened at his comment, probably amused. He took his hand from the shelter and began to walk. "…I'll get your money from my room."

"Wait," Cid said. When he had Vincent's attention again he gestured to the town on the hills above them. "Have lunch with me."

Vincent's brow twitched faintly, his initial answer on the tip of his tongue. But he paused, watching Cid with a troubled expression. Honestly, Cid couldn't decipher it. Eventually, he said, "I'm not hungry."

Cid 'pft'ed. "Don't gimme that shit." He gestured to himself with his hands still pocketed. "Do I smell? Seriously, am I rank?"

The gunman sighed. "You smell of bath salts, Cid," he answered, earning him a laugh – which seemed to throw him off course a little. Nonetheless he continued: "Why are you so stubborn about this?"

"It's in my nature," Cid said smoothly, shrugging.

Vincent cocked his head, as though Cid was a riddle he couldn't understand yet. He said nothing for a while, letting a solemn expression fall across his handsome features. "You wouldn't be if you knew what I was…"

Cid frowned. True, there was something the others knew about Vincent that he didn't, but this was the first open comment the man himself had uttered on the subject. "Bullshit, unless yer a freakin' child-molester I don't give a flyin' fuck what you are. No one knows how long they've got left on this Planet, so I'm damn sure gonna make the most of _my_ time, and I don't plan to waste it arguin' with you over a fuckin' lunch. Now c'mon," he started walking, his tone by no means aggressive. "I saw a kebab place earlier, I hope yer like junk food."

Vincent stared. He really had no other option than to follow.

The snowfall turned into a full-out blizzard an hour later, forcing some people indoors and the majority of the children in town to run wild like bulls on crack, dressed up in so many layers Vincent could have used them as target practice and they'd still walk away untouched.

Sheltering under the overhang of a small shopping center, Cid and Vincent finished off their greasy meals and watched as one of the biggest snowmen in history was being rolled in the square before them by several kids.

Cid licked off the meat juice that had run down the side of his hand. "Never made a snowman when I was little," he remarked after they had both dropped their trash in the bin by the doors. "Always made snow-planes," he grinned. "I actually got in the international newspaper for the 'kid who designed the snow-plane.' Had the blueprint design drafted out in the snow right beside it. Got my future sponsors for that."

"Impressive," Vincent replied, his good hand latched loosely to his bicep above the gauntlet. He rubbed it occasionally. "How old were you?"

Cid thought back as he pulled his glove back on. "Eleven, I think. First vacation away from our hometown. Who knows, maybe it was here we came. I can't remember."

The children began a snowball fight in the middle of constructing the giant head of the snowman, eliciting squeals and laughter and the occasional THUMP as a particularly hard projectile hit the buildings around them. Cid ducked a poorly aimed snowball and aimed a glare at the offender. He caught Vincent watching, but no sooner had he met his gaze did the gunman sense something and turned his attention outside, watching whatever it was that Cid couldn't see approach. A second later Cloud materialized from the blizzard, topped with snow. He glanced at them from the foot of the steps.

"Hey, you been wanderin' around since this mornin'?" Cid greeted as the young man joined them under the overhang.

The shorter blond shrugged, brushing the show from his shoulders. "Not exactly. I've been asking about the Northern Crater. There's a cut through the mountains, a slope that we can ski down. Supposedly." He glanced at them both, gauging their reactions. Cid's eyebrows had jumped up to his hairline. "We might be able to get a couple of snowmobiles, though."

Cid perked up at that. Snowmobiles were more his style for cruising down a slope. Skiing sounded fun and all, but not when combined with a mountainside and a novice.

"I'm trying to find a Mr. Holzoff's house," Cloud continued. "I was told he's a mountain climber, he'd probably have a map we could use to get across the glacier north of here."

Cid sensed an opportunity to kill some time. "Yer know where he's at?"

Cloud turned his gaze down the street. "Apparently his house is in this area."

"Bet someone local knows where," Cid said, pulling up his jacket zip to his chin. "Just a case of askin'."

Indeed it was. Inviting himself and Vincent along, Cid joined Cloud and they ventured back into the heavy snowfall, wading through the ever-rising carpet of white to eventually decipher some pretty obscure directions to Mr. Holzoff's house.

An elderly woman in a thick, knitted shawl with a knot of dark gray hair answered the door. She was pleased to have visitors and invited them in, through a hallway and into a huge living room with an equally large log fire crackling away against a stone wall. Cid and Cloud had to take off their jackets.

The old woman sank into a high-backed armchair before the fireplace, picking up her knitting ball and needles. She pointed to the two sofas either side of her. "Sit down then. My, it's been a long time since I've had visitors, especially such strappin' lads."

Cid felt for sure she hadn't looked at Vincent properly.

The three men chose a seat on the burgundy (and quite obviously expensive) sofas each; the two blonds on one opposite Vincent on the other.

"Isa, bring us a pot of tea, will you, love?" The old woman, Mrs. Holzoff as she'd introduced herself at the door, called.

Another woman wearing an apron and hair net poked her head from a door across the room. "Certainly, ma'am." She disappeared again.

Mrs. Holzoff counted off the line she was knitting before setting it down again. "So, you wanted to see my husband." She eyed them all behind her spectacles, pausing for a very long time when her gaze found Vincent. After a long moment, though, she turned her eyes back to Cid, the visibly oldest of the three. "He left twenty years ago for those mountains and still hasn't returned." She didn't appear upset, merely a little irate. "He is – or was – the most experienced mountain climber in the North. Knew every corner of the Great Glacier."

"We were hopin' he could tell us how to get across to the North Crater," Cid said, elbows on his thighs, hands clasped comfortably together.

The old woman tilted her head after he'd spoken and cracked a wide smile. "Oh, my husband had your accent! You're from OaksCroft aren't you?"

Cid nodded, a little surprised. "Originally, yeah, I am. Don't recall any Holzoff's there, though."

The woman's eye glinted more amicably. "Well, he was gone for over twenty years, dear. You probably _wouldn't_ remember the name."

"Makes sense," Cid huffed.

"Are you two related?" She asked, leaning forward to indicate Cloud.

"Fuck no," Cid said, glancing at a surprised Cloud, who was also leaning on his thighs. He sat back at this terrible assumption, although he was probably more amused than anything.

Mrs. Holzoff shrugged. "Blond hair and blue eyes are getting rare lately, it's such a shame. I was always one for that combination. My husband had blond hair and gray eyes, so I was almost there." She winked. Cid shuddered.

The maid, Isa, entered the room with a large circular tray, balancing four teacups and two pots. She set everything out of the low table between them all before pouring out Mrs. Holzoff's drink and dismissing herself. Cid was the first – and only – to make up his tea. Cloud and Vincent didn't move.

"I heard that your husband might have a map for us to use," Cloud said, getting down to the reason for their visit.

The old woman settled back into her huge armchair. "He eventually learnt everything out there that he no longer needed his map." She indicated to something behind Cid and Cloud, who both twisted in their seats to look at the wall. There was a picture frame hanging on its own one side. "It was what he used when he first started mountain climbing, all those years ago…"

Cloud had gotten to his feet and approached the map in the frame. Even from Cid's sofa he could see how aged the paper was.

"You can have that," Mrs. Holzoff said kindly.

Cloud carefully took the map down and brought it back to the sofa. He released the paper from the frame and studied it closely, his vivid blue eyes flitting over the little notes.

"It's nearly impossible to reach the Northern Limits without a map," the old woman continued. "You'll be fine with that. That red check marks the foot of the Gaea Cliffs. Perhaps you'll meet my husband out there. Or what's left of him."

They all stared at her. A second later Vincent rose to his feet, and it signaled the end of their stay with Mrs. Holzoff.

Cid set down his half-finished tea and rose to his feet. "That tea's shite," he informed her, as though breaking some bad news. "Yer want a proper blend, like Wutai Green."

She looked up at him speechless, perhaps slightly stunned; either by his blatant honesty or by the possibility the tea really wasn't the best out there.

"Let's go," Cloud said quickly, already making a beeline for the front door.

In his steps following the younger man, Cid quite definitely saw a smile quirking Vincent's lips as he brought up the rear. The pilot was going to have to keep a tally.

/

AN: I know, Cid seems to have a lot of baths in this story – but if you think about it, does he really? Considering all the days they've been traveling, eheh…

And, yes, I love to think that blond hair is uncommon on Gaia, and to have blues eyes as well is a dying combination. It's another world, there's so many liberties to take with it. Also, OaksCroft - well Cid was born _somewhere_ and no one else seems to have his accent, so I made his birth town up.

Another thing I want to mention is Vincent and Cid's argument - I can imagine Vinnie being quite reluctant to start liking Cid, so he adopts the cold attitude when he realizes things are getting too close. Although, he seems to both want and not-want the friendship between them to escalate, so he gives in to Cid's lunch plans.


	16. Bandersnatch and Stitches

**Journey**

.

/

With the map secured, the last call of business was acquiring some form of transport for six people and three animals (or, more specifically, one animal and two robots). Had Cid not just insulted the woman's beverage selection it would have been convenient to ask Mrs. Holzoff, but there was sure to be plenty of people who could help point them in the right direction.

As it turned out, the ski resort often hired out snowmobiles, although they were extremely strict on actually getting them back, so when Cloud suggested his team might be unable to return them the vehicle manager had them escorted out – quickly. It was clear they would be unable to hire and, after a few more inquires, found that only one local store sold them.

Sheltered from the snow in the small store showroom, the three men stood motionless, staring at the latest model shining under the spot lights.

Cid whistled. "That's some price tag."

"You won't find a better deal anywhere else," the sales advisor assured them. "This new engine design uses twenty percent less Mako than its older counterpart and can run twice as long."

"Is it 'twice as' expensive?" Cid derided.

The man smiled thinly. "I admit the SXC is a little more costly than previous versions, but well worth it."

"Give us a minute," Cloud told him, turning to the other two as the sales advisor gave a respectful nod and wandered off into his small office. The young leader turned his eyes on Cid's. "We can't afford this. Even one of these machines will clear our gil out."

Cid slid a glance at the office door. "He's only got the latest model in the showroom. I betcha he's got some older bikes in the back. They'll be cheaper. We only need a couple, right? Those of us that can't fit on 'em can get towed behind on snowboards."

Cloud considered this. "I suppose that's a good a plan as any…"

They called back the sales man who reluctantly led them through to a small storage warehouse where several older snowmobiles were. As Cid had suspected, their prices were almost fifty percent lower, and with his cunning haggle-skills, he managed to talk the man into a good deal for three CXVs, plus a pair of slim goggles Cloud had been eyeing. When their purchases had been finalized, they left the machines there and exited the showroom, stepping back into the persistent blizzard.

"Aside from supplies, we're all set to go," Cloud said loudly above the whistling of a sudden wind. He hunkered down into his jacket as he was pelted with snow as they walked through the white streets. "As soon as the girls and Barret are well we're leaving."

"Shit," Cid remembered, looking around for a convenience store. "That reminds me I need to get somethin'…" He paused. "Where the hell is the inn?"

Both Cloud and Vincent turned their eyes on their unfamiliar surroundings. Or, more accurately, the _lack_ of visible surroundings.

Cid shrugged and began walking, hands in his pockets. "I'll find it. See yer guys later." He left the two men to their own devices as he waded through the snow, following a vague inner sense of direction. Almost thirty minutes later he silently congratulated himself when he spied the small convenience store that he'd already been to. He entered once again to buy a packet of medicine and made his way back to the inn. Only when he stepped inside did he realize half of his pants were sodden with melted snow and his calves were freezing.

"Hey, you guys still alive?" Cid called when he stepped into the room, tossing his snow speckled jacket onto his futon. The room had taken an extreme temperature climb – sauna style. "Fuck, are yer tryin' to melt to death?"

"That'd take too long," Barret moaned miserably under his comforter. "Just shoot me now."

Cid tossed the medicine onto his lumpy form. "I ain't got the gun arm. Shoot yer self."

"My aim's too shaky." Barret emerged from his envelope to seek out the small packet, which he tore open and tossed back two pills.

Cid sat on the edge of Cloud's bed and lit a cigarette while he brought Barret up to speed. When he was done talking he was sweating, but Barret refused to let him turn down the heating. So be it, if the gunman stewed under the bed sheets then the heat would burn out his cold in no time.

The remaining daylight crawled by. Cid was going stir crazy with little to do but listen to Barret hack up his lungs and talk about his past Avalanche friends. Apparently Cid didn't know much, but by the time Cloud returned to the room past dark Cid could have been quizzed on the backstory and scored one hundred percent.

Red returned shortly after Cloud. Cid opened the door to his scratching as the young leader disappeared into the bathroom.

"The snow enhances all manner of smells," Red said happily as he trotted in, his fire-tipped tail glowing just as strongly despite the blizzard outside. "It's perfect hunting conditions should you wish to join me on the outskirts. I have accepted a post that wants rid of some troublesome critters." He looked at Cid.

"Yer read my mind," Cid stated, grabbing his jacket and weapon. "I can't sit in this room any longer."

"I'll try _not_ to take offense," Barret muttered, half his face buried in the pillow.

"You do that," Cid said simply as he opened the door for Red and followed him out.

"Hold on!" Barret called. He kicked his sheets from him as Cid hung onto the door handle, waiting, and reached under his bed base. He pulled out Vincent's folded cape and held it out. "Tifa thought you'd see him to give it back so she left it here."

Cid took it. "Why'd yer hide it under the bed?"

"'Cause it's fuckin' creepy," Barret exclaimed, climbing back under his covers. "It kept moving, like in a breeze or something."

"It must be alive," Cid taunted.

"Don't gimme that look. Just give it back to its 'master'."

"Right. See yer later. Don't die or anythin'."

"Fuck off."

Cid grinned as he finally closed the door.

/

They waded back through the deep snow in the direction Red knew to be a monster hotspot on the north outskirts of the town. The lights of little shops guided their way through the streets until they reached the Lodge, where Vincent was rooming. Red suggested that they invite Vincent to join them while they return his cape. Cid wondered if yet another invitation from himself would push the man away again.

"Sir, no animals allowed in these lodgings," the pompous man behind the reception desk said as soon as he caught sight of Red.

"He ain't fuckin' stayin' here so keep yer skirt on," Cid said, leaning an elbow on the countertop and earning a look for it. "We're just lookin' for our friend, Vincent Valentine. What room's he in?"

The man crinkled his nose in dislike. "That would be room 13."

Cid gave a mocking expression. "Oh, know yer guest that well, huh?"

The man spluttered indignantly before Cid rudely laughed at him and walked away with Red. They pushed through a heavy door to rooms 1 – 15 and climbed a short set of stairs until they came upon three young women, all staff members. They were stood around door 13.

"Somethin' happenin'?" Cid asked as he and Red approached.

"Oh, erm, no Sir," a redhead said, stepping away as Cid stopped before the door. "Are you friends of Mr. Valentine?"

"Pretty much," Cid shrugged, eyeing their expressions.

"Then, please forgive my forwardness," the second woman said with black hair, bowing her head, "but would you ask him if he would consider accompanying Fiona here for a drink and… possibly a meal?" She placed a hand on the redhead's arm. "She's been trying to catch him but he's very good at slipping out unnoticed." She offered a smile.

Cid couldn't help a smile of his own, but for a whole different reason. "Sure," he said, trying not to laugh. If only they knew. "I'll ask him."

"Thank you," the redhead bowed. They all whisked off quickly to giggle and whisper about a date that was as likely to happen as Cid was to quit smoking. He caught the words, "He's absolutely gorgeous…" before they disappeared.

Exchanging looks with Red, Cid knocked on the door, wondering if Vincent was even in or not. The girls had probably been about to ask him the very thing they'd passed on to Cid.

"Vincent," Cid called, "yer drooling fans have gone. It's safe."

For a long time there was no response, and Red shifted beside Cid, suggesting the man must be out. But just after Cid gave one last bang on the door it opened. Vincent looked out at them passively, glancing down at Red. His hair was tousled and his eyes appeared tired. Cid realized he'd probably been trying to sleep – maybe voluntarily this time.

"Here," Cid said, holding out the folded cape. "Bit late now but maybe yer can hide that pretty face from the rest of the female staff."

It was supposed to have sounded mocking, but judging by the look Vincent gave him he wasn't sure he'd put enough jest into it. He either looked offended or surprised; it was hard to narrow any specific expression on Vincent's face.

"We're going hunting," Red told the gunman, flicking his tail. "Would you like to join us?"

Vincent took his cape and looked down at Red. "…I will pass."

"Good luck gettin' any peace here with girls gigglin' outside yer door," Cid smirked, zipping up his jacket and shoving his hands in the pockets. Vincent frowned at him, nonplussed. "Yer seriously didn't hear 'em?" The gunman remained clueless. He must have been sleeping deeply. "It's best if we don't even go there," Cid muttered, turning to walk away. "See yer, Vince."

"Goodnight, Vincent," Red said as Cid began wandering off. "Rest well." He trotted after Cid and a second later the click of Vincent's door echoed in the otherwise quiet hallway.

Once outside, Red enquired about the strange behavior of the human females as they pushed through the snow again.

"Women are a mystery," Cid said, shrugging. "They don't make sense half the time and when it comes to love, lust and all that shit they're even fuckin' weirder."

"Why did you not inform Vincent that he has a potential mate?" Red asked.

Cid laughed. "Red, pal, humans don't get 'mates' like your kind does… I'm guessin'," he added, glancing down at his four-legged companion.

"I don't know for certain what rituals my kind use to find mates, since I am the last," Red began, "but my instincts tell me that a certain bond must take place for each party to consent to a relationship, and that either side can initiate it. What if that female was destined to be Vincent's other half? She had taken the step to initiate interaction."

Cid wasn't exactly comfortable discussing this topic with anyone, but at least Red was only trying to learn. "If she is then I'm sure it'll happen _anyway_," Cid said skeptically, waving a hand dismissively, "but Vincent doesn't strike me as a man lookin' to settle down with anyone. She was just lustin' after him, Red. It'd be superficial."

"How do you know that?" Red asked, genuinely intrigued.

Cid looked straight ahead at the snow-topped ridges of the outskirts. "That's just somethin' humans know."

"It is strange," the hound continued. "Tifa and Aerith acted differently when Vincent joined us, but quickly resumed their normal behavior. I think they realized Vincent was not compatible. Human's seem to mate with other humans, there doesn't seem to be any deviation in species."

Cid frowned, pushing a snow-covered branch from his way as they left the boundaries of the town. "Vincent's human," he said, and paused for a few seconds. "Ish… Right?"

Red tilted his head in consideration as he climbed over a snowy boulder. "I would say one fifth of him is."

Cid stared at him, mouth agape, and gave a huff, a confused smile playing at his lips. "What're the other four fifths?"

"I don't know. I've never met anything like Vincent before."

Cid continued to stare at Red, wondering what he'd sensed or seen of Vincent that provoked such an odd impression. Red had called Vincent 'any_thing_'. It was certain Vincent wasn't completely human, but was Red being serious? Was Vincent more _something_ than he was human? Cid just couldn't bring himself to ask outright… he didn't know why.

They found plenty of game a few minutes later, happening upon the night creatures that thought both Cid and Red would make a worthy treat. They weren't the mark that Red had accepted to kill, but they were a good warm up, and it was a pleasant chance for Cid to better watch Red in action. The hound was strong and cunning, unhindered by bad visibility. The pilot was almost preyed upon twice because he couldn't smell like Red could.

After an hour of climbing rocky snow banks and traversing around boulders and hills, they still hadn't come across Red's target beasties: Bandersnatch.

"They hunt by day normally," Red explained as they took a layer of flat boulders like stairs. "But the man who posted the mark said they'd been attacking his winter cattle at night, and he'd tracked them to this area."

"Maybe they're munchin' on his livestock while we're here," Cid suggested. He'd put his goggles across his eyes to keep the falling snow out of them, and occasionally had to finger the lens clean.

Red gave him a smile. "Maybe. Perhaps we should –" He stopped mid-sentence and turned his eyes upward to the top of the outcrop they were climbing.

Cid watched as a shape emerged from the snowfall until it stopped at the edge, cape fluttering behind. He smiled. "Couldn't sleep?"

Vincent merely inclined his head just slightly; his response – neither a yes or no. He turned to survey the lights of the town before them as Cid and Red joined him at the top. The snow was falling slower, allowing them a good view. It looked picture perfect, warm and welcoming. They shared the sight for a few seconds longer until Red announced he had caught a whiff of a monster and bounded down the other side of the rock.

Cid wiped his goggles and gestured enthusiastically to Vincent. "C'mon – can't let him have all the fun." And with that, he leapt down the edge and rode the snow surfer-style, reminded of the thrill from the sled ride. Vincent caught him up a moment later, using his momentum to jump clear down the rest of the edge face and perform an impressive somersault.

"Show off," Cid grinned.

He found Red with the carcass of a white creature with long ears and powerful hind legs. The hound had made short work of it, but he wasn't satisfied; it still wasn't a Bandersnatch.

"Maybe we should come back in an hour or two," Cid suggested, looking up through the snow at the full moon bathing them. "It'll be midnight by then."

Red looked indecisive. He shook the snow from his nose. "I would not want to miss them and risk another attack on the cattle."

Cid considered this and nodded in agreement. "I'll give it another couple of hours, then I'm headin' in." Unlike Red, his furless toes were starting to freeze.

The hound looked around them. "Where's Vincent?"

Cid glanced behind to find the man had indeed disappeared. As if in answer, the distant crack of a gun rebated through the air. "He's havin' fun, that's where," Cid said, jerking his head to signal Red follow him. "Let's join in."

They followed the gunshots although they didn't actually see Vincent for another hour. The Bandersnatch emerged from the snowy rocks in dispersed masses of tens and twenties. No wonder they felt brave enough to attack cattle, it seemed there was a Bandersnatch epidemic!

Cid could hear Vincent fighting close by in the snow as he and Red took on the troublesome monsters in a labyrinth of boulders and outcroppings. It was a flurry of creature after creature, but despite their bravery against large, slow cattle, they stood little chance against experienced fighters, even in such high numbers. After an hour, the few remaining Bandersnatch decided they were outmatched and fled back into the snowy night, tails between their legs.

"Job well done, huh?" Cid asked rhetorically as he severed the tail of a dead creature for evidence. He tossed it to Red.

"I will share the bounty with you and Vincent," the hound said, slinging the tail over his shoulder.

Cid shook his head. "You and Vince share it, I don't need it." He turned around to look for their third team member amidst the snow banks but couldn't see him. His spied his scarf on the ground, though, slowly disappearing under snow. He bent to retrieve it. "If that's the job done then I'm headin' back –"

Something flew out from a hidden crevice in an outcropping, snarling as Cid stumbled back from its jaws. It flew over him as he stumbled back, slipped on a camouflaged stone and cracked the back on his head straight against the edge of a small boulder.

Red had already engaged the creature – a frightened, lone Bandersnatch that had hid rather than fled with the others. It was dispatched quickly, though before it went its snarling brought Vincent from wherever he had been. The caped man appeared from a snow bank and surveyed the dead monster.

"That was a sudden surprise," Red said, his muzzle slanted in a smile. It faltered though when he turned his eye on Cid climbing to his feet. "Cid, you're injured."

Clutching the back of his head, the pilot straightened up and blinked back the cloud of darkness in his vision. "No one saw, got that?" He threatened light-heartedly, referring to his embarrassing stumble. He withdrew his hand from the back of his head. It was covered in blood. "Damnit. I'd rather get injured by a monster than a fuckin' rock." He glanced at the ground. His blood stained the snow vividly, shining on the edge of the stone that cut him.

"That's bleeding quite a lot," Red observed, craning his neck up. "We should go get it checked out."

"I'll do it when we get back," Cid dismissed, pressing his hand back against the wound to stem the flow. His head was pounding, but aside from that he wasn't worried.

They began their trek back to town, climbing and winding the banks and boulders. Once they were inside the boundaries, Red veered in a different direction to collect his bounty, leaving Cid and Vincent to continue.

The streets were quiet and still, an opposite atmosphere from the bustle of tourists in the day. The only establishment still open and serving was the pub opposite The Lodge. Two drunken men saw the blood on Cid's clothes and seemed to believe he was the walking dead, if their cries of exaggerated disbelief were anything to go by. They were creating quite the racket.

Cid ignored them as he and Vincent stopped before the doors to The Lodge. His hand was still clamped firmly to the bleeding wound. It was starting to sting. "See yer tomorrow, Vince," Cid said, slapping Vincent's arm amicably with his other hand. "Let's hope we can finally get movin' again."

Vincent gave a slight nod of agreement, but he remained standing where he was, watching the pilot. Just when Cid was going to ask what he was staring at, the gunman said, "I have a medkit. I can clean that wound for you." It sounded like both a statement and a question.

Cid waved a hand dismissively. "No bother, it ain't serious."

"It's still bleeding."

"It's fine."

Vincent fixed him with a look that Cid had deemed a Valentine stare. "Unlikely. You'd be returning to a room filled with the cold virus with an open head wound. An unwise decision."

"Gross," Cid muttered, imagining visible cold bacteria floating around the inn room. He shrugged carelessly. "Fine, just gimme an antiseptic wipe and I'll clean it before I get back."

Vincent gave him an unreadable look before turning to The Lodge doors and leading the way inside and to his room. He pretty much ignored Cid until he'd found the medkit in the small bathroom cabinet, only then turning back to the pilot as he opened the case.

Cid held out his free hand and took a moist towel from the small packet offered to him. He trudged into the small bathroom and tried awkwardly to clean the wound. As soon as the antiseptic tissue touched him he hissed in pain. Turning his neck to try and dab at it hurt just as much, tugging the open skin wider. His hair was matted with blood, not to mention it was troublesome in his attempt to get to the wound. He felt the slight edge of nausea creep into his head.

"Sonuvabitch," he swore, wincing. He opted to just pressed the wipe against the cut and ignore the mirror; it didn't serve him well. He spotted Vincent watching him, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed. "What?"

"Your stubbornness may well be the thing that ends you," the gunman said owlishly.

"It's just a cut, I got them all the time workin' on machines and metalwork," Cid said dismissively, looking at the mess of the bloodied wipe. He could still feel it trickling down his neck, and now he was beginning to feel lightheaded. How much blood was he losing from a little cut?!

"And how long did your crew have to argue with you before you allowed treatment?"

It was Cid's turn to give Vincent a look. "I'm capable of treatin' my own godsdamn scrapes and bruises." He screwed up the antiseptic wipe and tossed it in the small trash can before pushing past Vincent into the bedroom. He grabbed his weapon that he'd propped against the wall, wondering if they had lost their cure materia when they had lost Aerith…

"You're still bleeding," Vincent told him. "I can clean it."

"It's fine," Cid grumbled, reaching for the door.

"Cid," Vincent said in a tone that somehow halted the blond where he stood. "That wound will probably turn septic if not treated. If you do not trust me to tend to it then at least let someone else."

Cid paused. "I trust yer…" he said, facing the door. He took a second of indecision before sighing. "I just… prefer to see to my own cuts and bangs."

"Since you can't see this one, it would be best to let someone else."

Cid turned around and stared at the gunman. "Fine," he said, containing the irritation he wanted to express. He disliked showing weakness to anyone, and a wound was a weakness. But Vincent was offering to help, which itself was something to take advantage of. "Have at it." Cid leant his weapon back on the wall, dropped onto the edge of the bed, folded his arms and propped one leg over his other.

Vincent watched, bemused. He set the medkit on the bed and sat down carefully behind Cid. He tilted the blond's head forward slightly to gain a better view and went about cleaning the area of blood. Neither said a word for a few minutes, during which Cid found his nausea disappearing slowly under the strangely soothing motions of Vincent's hand gently wiping at his hair.

"The wound is deep," Vincent said into the silence, his tone low. "It requires stitches."

Cid eyed the floor. The proximity of Vincent's voice right behind him sent a strange sensation down his spine. "It'll heal on its own," he said indifferently.

"You know it won't," Vincent replied, a light argumentative tenor in his words. "…I have experience stitching."

Cid sighed. "Then do it."

The silence regained dominance of the room once again as Vincent took the necessary tools from the medkit. Cid could hear the quite rustle of his movements, but when they stopped he never felt the sharp prick of the needle.

"Somethin' wrong?" Cid asked, lifting his head slightly to peer over his shoulder.

Vincent was staring at the needle, his expression unreadable. He snapped himself from whatever thought he was lost in and met Cid's gaze.

Cid realized immediately what must have caused his hesitance. "Yer don't have to –" He began, getting to his feet.

"No," Vincent interrupted. "I said that I would…"

Cid watched him. The hand holding the needle was shaking very slightly, and try as he might Vincent wasn't able to pull down that perfect mask of stoicism. What memories was that one little needle dredging up from Vincent's darkness?

Despite this, the pilot uttered a soft huff of laughter, earning a questioning look from the gunman. Cid smiled. "We're quite the pair, aren't we? Both stubborn against our fears."

Vincent's crimson eyes studied his curiously for a second, lips parted in pondering. But he couldn't deny it. Instead, he nodded. "If you can expose me to your wounds, your fear, then I can… _overcome_ mine and help you…"

Cid sat back down. "It's like a godsdamnit support group," he sighed flippantly.

Much like Cid had done, Vincent gave a quiet huff of amusement. A second later he felt the needle pierce the tender skin, and endured the process as Vincent began stitching the hole in his head. A long minute of silence passed between them before Cid found he could no longer stand it.

"Where'd yer learn to stitch?" He asked, feeling the minute tugging of the thread.

"… As a Turk there were many assignments that guaranteed personal injury," Vincent began slowly. "It was essential to know how to suture a wound…"

"Yer said yer had experience…" Cid said. "Yer must have done it to yerself?"

"Yes."

"Damn." Cid empathized. "Turk work sounds tough."

"That is… something of an understatement."

Cid chuckled. "Hey, yer can't underestimate the dangers of an engineer, yer know. Pillar drills are a bitch. Yer ain't never seen danger like a pillar drill with no chuck guard."

"Sounds deadly," Vincent humored. Although his tone was deadpanned, Cid could hear the smile in his voice.

"Damn right."

A minute or two later Vincent tied off the last suture, gave the wound another clean and announced the end of Cid's ordeal. To him, it wasn't so much an ordeal as a weirdly enjoyable experience.

"Do these dissolve away or do they have to be cut out?" Cid asked as he straightened to his feet, watching Vincent pack the medkit away.

The gunman turned the kit over; his eyes flitted across the contents list. "Dissolvable. They should disappear in a couple of weeks."

_Shame…_ Cid found himself thinking.

Vincent stashed the medkit away in the bathroom again as Cid retrieved his weapon. The skin under his hair tugged a little with the new additions, but he would get used to it. Now all he needed to do was clean the dried blood from the back of his hair and neck… not to mention his once brown glove.

As Vincent came to a halt in the middle of the room, Cid found an awkward silence had descended. He switched his weapon to the other hand and gripped the door handle.

"Thanks for the stitches," he said. Vincent blinked and inclined his head in response. "Guess I owe _you_ lunch now."

Vincent shook his head. "You don't owe me anything."

"Sure I do," Cid insisted. "Don't make me go stubborn on yer ass again."

Vincent watched him a second longer before relenting. "Very well."

Cid laughed. "Don't sound too enthusiastic, will yer?" He opened the door and gave a mock salute, feeling a vague sense of déjà vu. "Night, Vince."

"Goodnight, Chief."

Cid shut the door after him and left The Lodge.

/


	17. Frostbitten Hellhole

**Journey**

.

AN: Sorry for the long wait, RL sucks. Btw, JilliBeanz, you're right about Red and ladders, thanks for pointing it out. I'll have to go back and correct that bit. Anyway, enjoy this chapter. I hope I can get them out quicker from now.

/

"Yuffie, _chew_ yer food."

"Mmph mmm," she replied with a mouthful, snatching another wedge of bread from the basket on their breakfast table to add to her rapidly diminishing pile.

Cid watched in disgusted fascination as she crammed in more and more food, listening to her sniffling between swallowing. She was recovering rapidly, much faster than Barret and Tifa, but it was probably due to her hyper genes. Either that or she'd been hogging Tifa's medicine.

They had found each other in the small dining area of the inn at the back of the building, having made it before the breakfast menu ended. Barret was still too sickly to walk and apparently Tifa had no appetite and didn't _want_ to move. Cloud, as usual, had disappeared before Cid had woken.

"You want to get as much energy down as you can, lassie," Cait said chirpily from his own seat. He'd left his mog in the room. "But it won't do you much good if you choke on it."

She merely rolled her eyes. As her mouth was too full she couldn't retort back.

Cid leant an elbow on the table, teacup in hand as he eyed Cait. "What've _you_ been doin' these past couple of days, Shinra spy?"

"I'm not a spy," the robot said defensively. "At least, not any more…"

Cid snatched the last bread from under Yuffie's fingertips, earning a glare. "And I should believe yer, why?" He asked skeptically, tearing a piece from the bread.

"I did sacrifice myself in that temple," Cait said, his long tail twitching from side to side. "I want to help you guys."

Cid frowned. "That wasn't _you_. That was another robot."

"It's still me," Cait argued.

"It was a completely different unit," Cid responded loudly, waving his hand.

"But they're _all_ me!"

The pilot quirked a skeptical eyebrow. "They all _look_ like you, but yer – "

"Would you guys quit arguing," Yuffie said suddenly, her mouth free of food. "You're being really loud." She gestured with her eyes at the other customers throwing glances at their direction.

Having never thought he'd get a scolding from Yuffie of all people, Cid 'hmph'ed and drained the rest of his tea while Cait struck a new conversation with the ninja. Tipping his head back even slightly was a little painful, and he hadn't realized he had winced until his two companions called him on it.

"'S nothin'," he mumbled, pushing his teacup away and rising to his feet. "Just get well so we can leave and get back on the road."

"Technically, we won't actually be on a ro –" Cait began.

"Shuddup," Cid cut across.

He left the inn to walk off a restlessness that had plagued him all night. He had slept very little and was worried for a brief time that he was catching the same illness his bed-ridden teammates were suffering. But when morning came he remained feeling fit and well despite his lack of rest, so he dismissed it as a side effect of the bang on his head.

It had finally stopped snowing as he trudged through the streets, registering the fresh carpet draped over every surface available. He passed the huge snowman that the children had been building, although it was no longer recognizable as such; instead it resembled a miniature snow mountain with the tip of a carrot sticking out. A few meters along the street the very same children were constructing a new snowman, the area around them patterned with snow angels.

He took a turn back towards the route that led to the edge of town (edge being quite literal, as the path ran alongside a deep drop, deceptively hidden by a wood of tall evergreen trees) and noticed the lack of voices and townspeople. Continuing a bit further, he could see why.

Ahead of him stood a pair of Shinra guards, backs to him, and at the head of them was a blonde woman in a Turk uniform. Before them all was Cloud; his stance told Cid this was no friendly visit.

"…won't let you go any further," the Turk was saying, her tone young but fierce.

Cid approached slowly, but the snow was against him, and the crunch of his footsteps drew the attention of the nearest grunt. He turned and aimed his weapon.

"You! Remain where you are!"

Cid stopped, regretting his decision to leave his weapon at the inn. "What the hell do you lot want? Can't yer see we're on vacation?"

"Unlikely," the Turk narrowed her eyes at him. She gestured to Cloud. "Over there with him, where I can see you both."

The barrels of two guns followed him as he walked around and to Cloud's side. "How in the hell did they find us _here_?" Cid asked.

Cloud shook his head vaguely. "I don't know…"

"Silence!" the Turk commanded, her brown eyes full of animosity. "You had some guts doing my boss in like you did. You should pay for that."

Cloud exchanged looks with Cid before turning his bright eyes on her. "Your boss?" He paused, summoning the recollection. "Tseng? That wasn't us," he said, frowning at her. "…It was Sephiroth."

The Turk huffed in disbelief. "Don't think you can fool me, liar" she growled. "He was beaten by _you_."

Cloud fixed his gaze on hers. "I'm not lying."

She glowered at him. Cid was all but forgotten. "If you won't admit it, I'll just have to beat it out of you."

She rushed them both, her speed surprising, but she ignored Cid and advanced straight on Cloud, swinging a fist where his head would have been had he not dodged. Her following flurry of attacks met the same results, but it seemed to take all of Cloud focus to keep out of connection with her fists.

As Cid was watching he felt something poke his lower back and heard the distinct click of a gun safety.

"Don't intervene," one of the guards warned lowly.

Cid huffed. Had it just been the one, he could have easily taken the guard down. But his companion was a few meters away, a distance he couldn't close quick enough should he take the first out. Bullets were quite a lot faster than Cid.

He had barely looked back to watch the continuing fight when the bodily thud of a noise behind him turned him back – only to see the second guard had been felled by none other than Cait Sith on his mog.

Quick as he could be, Cid's automatic fighting instincts had his guard down on the ground before he could turn his gun on their party crasher. He grabbed the man's weapon and raised it, but before he could bring the butt of the gun down and knock him out, the sharp, loud sound of the Turk gasping drew his attention and he looked up quickly – just in time to see Cloud darting away from the edge of the path as the woman stumble back and out of sight on the unstable snow.

"No!" The guards called. Cid and Cait allowed them to jump to their feet, watching as they raced to the edge and disappeared after their boss. A second later the only evidence of a brawl was the unsettled snow and a Shinra class gun lying on the ground.

"She's too impulsive," Cait said in the pursuing silence.

"What'd yer do, push her?" Cid asked Cloud as he walked over to the edge and looked down. They were gone.

"No," Cloud answered, his tone as masked as his expression. "She just got too close to the edge…"

Cid watched him. "Hey, screw them, kid. _Our_ worry now is how'd they find us, and are the rest of them far behind?"

Cloud met his gaze. "You're right. Shinra could be right behind her. We need to leave." He turned to look at Icicle Inn. "Today."

/

They quickly returned to the inn and informed the rest of Avalanche what had occurred. The sudden urgency compelled Barret to push his sickness down while they rushed about to pack. As they were doing so, Cloud instructed Cid to go out and buy the supplies they had yet to get, and Cait to retrieve Vincent.

"That lad needs his own phone," Cait said matter-of-factly as he dashed out without his mog alongside Cid.

Once outside the pilot veered off to the store while Cait disappeared through the streets, heading for the other side of town. The pilot reeled off his list of items and, while paying, questioned the clerk behind the till if he'd seen Shinra personnel within the town. He hadn't.

Back at the inn, as he dispersed their supplies among them, he noticed Red was missing, too.

"We'll have to go look for him," Yuffie said, zipping up the winter jacket Cloud had bought for her days before. "I bet he's walking about."

Fifteen minutes later Cait returned without Vincent. Red wasn't the only one wandering around unknown.

"Typical; the only two of us that _ain't_ got phones and they had to disappear," Barret grumbled, sniffing.

They paid for their extended duration and left the inn minutes later, dressed in their snug winter gear and better prepared for the cold. Tifa and Barret shuffled rather than walked as they made their way through the streets, huddled in their clothing and eyes half-mast. They could have benefitted from another day at least, but with the threat of Shinra catching them up they couldn't afford to waste any more time.

They asked several people if they'd seen their friends, and eventually someone pointed them down a wide street where Red's brilliant red fur caught their eyes. He was playing with a local dog that kept barking at him, while a couple of kids and adults laughed and watched.

"Red," Cloud caught his attention. "We gotta go."

Sensing the gravity in the man's voice, Red nodded and bounded towards them, sending the people he'd been entertaining a goodbye nod.

"Now we've got you, we need _you_ to find Vincent," Yuffie told him.

"I saw him earlier," Red told her. "He was by the slopes where people are sledding."

This caught Cid's interest as they began following Red in the direction of the hills. Had he been watching people sliding down the snow? Maybe he'd enjoyed that brief sled ride with Cid after all, although that was hard to imagine.

When they reached the slopes there was no sight of a dark red cape among the tourists and locals, but after asking a few people, they confirmed he had indeed been watching the sledding an hour before.

"Look," Cid said after they spent another ten minutes waiting for Red to stop circling the snow and pick up Vincent's scent. "Why don't you guys go and grab our snowmobiles and wait on the edge of town by the resort? Me'n' Red'll find Vincent. At least if Shinra do crash the town we won't all be caught together."

Cloud considered this and glanced at Tifa and Barret, both of whom wanted nothing more than to climb back into bed. To drag them around more wouldn't help either of their colds. Finally, their leader nodded, and confirmed they'd all rendezvous by the skiing resort.

Cid and Red parted ways, still trying to find scent or sight of their last teammate.

"Cid," Red said suddenly. "I have him. This way."

The hound took off at a fast walk with Cid following behind. He wondered about the female Turk that had sought them out, and why she hadn't brought her Turk buddies to stop Avalanche. She seemed to have come just for revenge, so it was a hopeful thought that maybe the rest of Shinra weren't right behind her. But Cid could only speculate. Even if it were true, she could have contacted her superior and informed them of Avalanche's location by now.

"Are you looking for me?"

Both Cid and Red jumped, startled, and spun around. Vincent had been completely silent. How did he _do_ that?

"We're leavin'," Cid told him before Red could. "Some girl from the Turks found us so the rest might not be far behind."

Vincent gave an affirmed nod, and without another word they made their way to the skiing resort on the edge of town. They made it before Cloud's group, and were waiting a slow, boring twenty minutes before they arrived on the snowmobiles.

"Vincent!" Yuffie exclaimed upon seeing him. "I haven't seen you in days, you didn't even visit while I was sick. What kinda man are you?" She adopted a mocking pout.

Vincent merely quirked an eyebrow.

/

The journey down the glacier was a long one, and for those unfortunate enough to draw the short straw had to endure the risky stability of the snowboards. Luckily, Cid was not one of them. He sat comfortably at the handlebars of the blue snowmobile with Red sat, all fours, on the seat behind him, watching the view over his shoulder. Barret and Tifa shared the other, with Cait between Barret and the steering bars, and his mog strapped to the back. They didn't look like tourists; they looked like a circus.

Cid glanced to his right, watching Cloud soaring through the snow on his board beside him. Wearing his new goggles, he looked quite the snowboarding model. Looking into the right wing mirror, Cid watched the smooth, steady movements of their two seemingly natural snowboarding pros. Yuffie and Vincent swept behind with such grace they could have been born on them. Vincent's hair and cape billowed behind him wildly, following the waves and currents of the air as he dived and sliced through the snowmobiles' wakes. Yuffie cut across him several times, trying to bait some retaliation from him, but she would have better luck using that board to fly the rest of the way.

"Cid, are you watching our course?" Red asked in his ear.

Turning his eyes to their path, Cid cursed and narrowly avoided collision with a tall evergreen tree. His erratic steering managed to get them through the sudden spinney before he leveled them out smoothly.

"You seem a bit distracted," the hound observed.

"Just was thinkin', is all," Cid dismissed.

"Your head wound is stitched," Red realized. "Vincent did a neat job."

The pilot frowned. "How'd yer know _he_ did it?"

"An educated guess."

Cid could hear the smile on the furball's muzzle.

The route they were following began to twist and turn, springing sharp corners on them very suddenly. At one point Barret lost steering for a brief second during a tight bend; no doubt his reaction time was severely diminished by his cold. He quickly wrestled the vehicle into control, but not before he gave it a string of obscenities.

"The path is getting harder," Red called, warningly.

"It's the only way," Barret shouted back, though he didn't look too pleased about it.

"Barret look out!" Tifa shrieked.

"Shit –!"

Cid had no time to swerve. Barret's vehicle slammed into his with enough force to jolt his bones. Before he could comprehend the swirls of white, his body ploughed into the snow with brutal momentum. His subconscious instincts brought his arms up to protect his face, but something rammed into him, hard. His breath left him and for a frightening second he couldn't draw in any air as he tumbled. Something heavy rolled over and pinned him, bringing his fall to a stop. He was too disorientated to move.

After a couple of long, blurry seconds (or minutes, he couldn't be sure) he heard voices calling his name. The heavy weight was lifted from him and a hand rested on his shoulder. Cloud was trying to rouse him.

"Mmn…" he mumbled. He drew in a deep breath and found his arms. He pushed himself up slowly. "'M okay…" he said. "Whuh the fuck hit me?"

"Our snow mobile," Tifa said behind Cloud, a strong tone of relief rising above her cold-strangled voice. "A huge creature ran into our path from nowhere. Are you okay?" She looked worried.

Cid climbed to his feet, wincing from a flare of pain in his shoulder. "Good enough," he mumbled, raising his eyes to the turbulent snow around them. The vehicles lay on their sides; bits of them littered the white ground. "Red okay?"

"I'm fine," the hound came into view. "Luckily I was in a position to land with minimal damage."

"Everyone else?" Cid asked, turning his eyes around the group. Barret was stemming a bleeding head wound with his hand, but the others appeared relatively uninjured.

"Fuckin' son'uv'a bitch," Barret griped as Yuffie was handing him an antiseptic tissue. "You better be alright, because if ya not then I'm gonna feel pretty fuckin' guilty," he said to Cid.

"I wouldn't want that," Cid said drily.

With a hand on his arm, Tifa's expression of concern eased only slightly. Cid couldn't tell if it was her sickness provoking the crinkle between her eyebrows or the near-fatal accident they'd had.

They took a few minutes break while Tifa took over Barret's head wound care. Cid propped himself against a snow topped tree and lit himself a much deserved cigarette. Yuffie had perched herself next to him with Red and was talking to no one in particular. She was like a walking ball of verbal energy. Cait and his mog stood on her other side.

The loud crack of Vincent's triple barreled gun echoed around the snowy ravine, shaking drops of snow from the leaves. Yuffie stopped talking to listen but only silence followed. Cid assumed he had taken care of whatever beastie was prowling around. He had taken up border patrol in case the monster that had run in front of Barret returned to finish them off.

"Okay, I've got a hole in my friggin' head now and I still feel like shit," Barret said as he worried the edges of the bandage. "If anything else happens in this frostbitten hellhole I'm gonna murder _somebody_!" He glanced at Yuffie. Luckily she didn't notice.

Tifa turned to their silent leader, who was studying the map nearby. "Do you know where we are?" She asked, folding her arms across her body and sniffling.

"I think we're here," He answered, pointing at something on the aged paper as she peered over his shoulder.

"Ugh, it's so cold!" Yuffie moaned, furiously rubbing her arms over the material of her jacket. "Can we get moving?"

Cloud nodded as his eyes tracked the slow descent of a large snowflake. Several more followed until it was apparent a whiteout was on its way. "Let's go."

"VINCENT!" Yuffie bellowed, startling them all, even Cloud. "WE'RE LEAVING NOW!"

"For fuck's sake, Yuffie," Cid growled. "Yer didn't need to _shout_ – he's got better hearin' than all'a' us put together."

She shrugged. "He could be really far away."

"Yeah well, now everything in a mile radius knows where we are," Barret griped.

"Bring 'em on, at least a fight will warm me up," she argued, shivering again.

"C'mon," Cloud said, choosing the direction and walking away through the trees.

"But what about Vincent?" Yuffie asked.

Cloud glanced back and past Yuffie, directing everyone's attention to the ex-Turk emerging from behind a snow bank.

"Great, let's g-go," the young ninja said, turning to fall in step with Tifa. "I hope this part of the journey isn't too long."

"You can always go back," Barret told her.

"No way – this is my mission, too," she replied defensively. "Anyway, you guys'd be lost without me." She gave a wry smirk.

Barret shook his head and rolled his eyes. Then he sneezed.

/

They walked on for an hour, through trenches of snow-covered rocks that sheltered them from the slowly increasing snowfall. Several small critters ran away at the sight and sound of them, but no monsters emerged to pick a fight, which was okay with Cid because the cold made him feel lethargic, and the worst he felt like dishing out were some ear-battering obscenities.

Their snowy area opened up to a huge, half-frozen lake that stretched out around half a mile. In the center was a small mountain of rock. The falling snow came down a bit heavier as they left the somewhat protected channels of ice and came to a stop before the shores of the lake. Cloud consulted the map.

"There's a cave over there," Yuffie spied, squinting through the falling snow at the mountain island.

"Well if you wanna hop-skotch over those broken ice floats to it, be my guest," Barret mumbled, arms folded tightly across his broad chest in a vain effort to keep warm.

Yuffie turned her nose up. "No way."

Cloud raised his head from the map. "Looks like we need to continue in that direction," he said, looking at the bank of the shoreline disappearing into the snow. He brushed the snowflakes from the map and folded it back.

Their trail along the edge of the lake was much longer than Cid thought, but eventually they lost sight of the frozen water and began winding their way through more evergreens and hilly terrain. The carpet of snow hid little dips and crevices, and it wasn't long before half of them were suffering sprained ankles.

"C-Cloud," Yuffie chattered, arms crossed tightly across her small frame. "Have we g-g-got much further to g-go?"

Cloud, with cold-flushed cheeks, frowned in concern. "I think we're halfway." He was shivering too. It was _really_ cold. "I can't judge distance on this map… there's no scale."

Cid cast his eyes on the rest of the team: they were all visibly trembling, arms crossed like they were desperately trying to keep ahold of their body heat. They had no materials for a fire, and no dry wood around them. They really didn't think this through.

"Maybe we should rest… for just a few minutes," Tifa suggested sluggishly, stifling a sneeze. Her hair was topped with snow.

"No, keep moving," Cait said. "If you stop you might not want to move again. The sooner we get past this the better."

Tifa didn't look like she could continue much further, but she nodded nonetheless and waded through the thick snow behind Barret, who looked equally exhausted and weak.

Cid turned his eyes to the white sky, squinting through the falling flakes. It didn't look like it was about to let up any time soon. The pilot flexed his numbing fingers and rubbed them through his gloves. He'd lost feeling in his toes a while back, and his backside was as numb as his hands. If he was this cold he could only imagine what the girls were feeling.

Cait Sith's mog was beginning to whirl mechanically as they trudged on, quietly at first, barely audible. But it slowly crept louder until those near turned to look.

"I don't think we were designed for this extreme cold," the robot cat stated as a means of explanation for the questioning looks.

"The oil in yer gears is thickened by the temperature," Cid said, digging his hands into his pants pocket and hunching his shoulders. He was beginning to shiver. "These ain't the best conditions for automotives."

"Well at l-least you've got a m-mechanical d-d-doctor if you go down," Yuffie told the little cat.

"Don't call me a doctor."

"Mechanical n-nurse?" Yuffie tried slyly.

"S-shut up," Cid shivered.

Their talk died down, giving way to the silence again. Cloud occasionally checked the map every so often, hoping to see the next landmark emerge from the white terrain. Barret began coughing, his cold aggravated by the freezing temperature, and Tifa seemed to be sleepwalking. Even Red's fire-tipped tail flickered weakly.

A short while later Yuffie suggested they eat something while they walked to increase their energy, if only by a little. They passed around some food rations and chewed silently. Cid handed a packet of nutritional crackers to Vincent, dropping back a few steps to walk alongside him. The gunman's cheeks were tinted red but that was the only evidence that the cold was affecting him.

"These t-taste like shit, but at least they're f-fillin'," Cid told him, taking a bite from his cracker. His muscles were starting to spasm uncontrollably now, causing his whole body to ache. He couldn't say he wasn't used to it; during his time building the _Tiny Bronco_ he endured all temperatures to work on her throughout the year. Shera was usually there to bring him something warm though, or – in extreme cases – urge him back inside the house.

Vincent said nothing, but they walked together in relatively companionable silence.

What felt like hours later, they finally arrived at a junction of rocky pathways. Cid glanced down the edge of their track at the sheer drop below, half expecting to see the remains of some unfortunate hikers. If there were any, the snow had covered them.

"That way," Cloud indicated the path straight ahead, leading up the mountain before them.

"Uuuugh, not _uphill_," Yuffie moaned. "I don't think I c-can go on much longer."

"T-then yer ass gets left behind," Cid walked past her as the group grudgingly began the ascent. He really wished the _Tiny Bronco_ hadn't been damaged. They'd have no trouble getting to places from the air.

With numb legs and nothing but will power, they continued on, forcing themselves along the steep pathway until it eventually leveled out and they found themselves facing an endless white plain. It was during their time crossing that their energy finally depleted.

Tifa collapsed suddenly, falling to the icy cold snow without warning.

"Tif!" Barret bent beside her as Cloud rushed back from the front. "Tifa, c'mon, wake up," the dark man sniffled, tapping her cheek in an attempt to rouse her. She was out cold. Literally.

"She's exhausted," Cait examined her, concern in his voice. "We've got to find shelter somewhere, and quickly."

Cloud looked out across the white void. There was nowhere to take her. His eyes fell on the pack on Barret's back. "We'll have to set up tents."

"They're n-not warm, though," Yuffie said, huddling in her own arms. She looked ready to drop next.

Cloud frowned hard at the ground, thinking. "Those who can't go on can rest in them. I'll continue and find shelter."

"If there _is_ any shelter," Cid told him.

"Only one way to find out," Red spoke up from beside Vincent's legs. "I can go on."

"Okay, let's set up these tents," Cloud ordered.

It took longer than usual, but when they had finally erected two tents the wind had risen and the temperature had plummeted even lower. Cid felt sluggish and drained, wanting nothing more than to close his eyes and sleep. It was as they were digging in the last peg that Barret slumped to his knees.

"Shit…" he breathed. "I…" He collapsed into the snow.

"Fuck," Cid cursed under his breath. He, Vincent and Cloud managed to carry the large man into one of the tents and put him down beside Tifa. They had nothing to cover them with, nothing to keep them warm.

Red turned to Cloud outside. "We need to hurry. In their conditions they will not last long."

Cloud nodded, his nose and cheeks raw from the cold. "Someone needs to stay with them. Yuffie?"

She nodded seriously. "I c-c-an't walk much further, but I…"

The rest of her sentence merged into white noise as Cid's consciousness faltered. For a microsecond he lost awareness, and when he came to everyone was looking at him.

"What?"

"I think you should stay, too," Red told him. "Watch over Tifa and Barret."

Cid wanted to argue, but he knew between himself and Yuffie that together they would be able to fend off monsters from Tifa and Barret, and he would only slow down the search group.

Cloud, Red and Vincent disappeared a minute later into the white void, leaving Cait and his mog with the tent. The cold was gelling the oil in their joints, slowing down their movements.

Yuffie and Cid sat either side of their unconscious teammates in an attempt to share body heat. The wind fluttered the sides of the tent as Cait and the ninja talked away, blowing stronger and louder as time passed. Cid half listened to their conversation while the other half of his mind was thinking about last night. He kept picturing Turk Vincent stitching his own wounds together behind a bullet-ridden wall. Turk life never appealed to Cid, not that he was ever offered such a position; but while other cadets at Shinra Academy would speculate and fantasize about it, Cid would ignore them and lose himself in schematics.

Cid remained conscious even after Yuffie succumbed to the cold and fell asleep beside Tifa. Cait engaged him in talk to keep him aware, but after several hours and dropping temperatures, darkness pushed in and Cait's voice faded out…

/


	18. Holzoff

**Journey**

AN: Quicker chapter for y'all. I managed to find some free time.

/

Cid came to slowly, gently, feeling his senses wake and extend. He immediately felt warm, and the numbness in his body parts had gone completely. Wherever he was he'd been there long enough for his body temperature to return to normal.

Opening his eyes, he saw a high timber-beamed ceiling. He sat up. Cloud was beside him on another futon, Red next to him and Yuffie on the hound's other side; all unconscious. They must have succumbed to the cold, too. But where were they? And where were the others?

Cid rose to his feet and noticed that he'd been stripped of his outta wear, even his goggles. His hair was still damp from melted snowflakes, leaving flopping strands tickling his forehead. He climbed the small set of stairs to the door of their small room and opened it quietly, listening for anyone on the other side. The room beyond was fairly bare, but there was a block of stairs leading up to a large platform.

"You awake?"

Startled, Cid looked up as an old man descended the stairs, with Cait Sith on his mog waddling behind.

"Who're you?" Cid asked as the man came to a stop before him. He looked about seventy years old, with a gray beard and bushy eyebrows.

"My name's Holzoff."

"He recused us all from freezing to death," Cait said, bouncing energetically on top of his mog. "Or in my case, just freezing."

"You guys are lucky," Holzoff said, his voice gruff, folding his arm amicable. "Any longer and the cold would have claimed your lives. What's your name, son?"

Cid stood back on his heels and propped his hands on his hips. "Cid. Cid Highwind. And don't call me son."

Holzoff laughed good-heartedly, no doubt amused by Cid's personality. "Welcome to my little home, Cid. Your friends are quite the odd bunch, aren't they? The two sickly ones are in another room, resting well. I thought it best to separate you."

Cid nodded in agreement as Holzoff led them into the next room. It looked like a make-shift living room, with two small couches, a few weapons and a kitchenette where the old man went to stand. He pulled a tankard closer and began making a hot drink.

"Where's Vincent?" Cid asked, realizing the ex-Turk wasn't accounted for.

"The guy in the red cape?" Holzoff asked, his smile disappearing. "He's okay… but I put him in the cellar. It's warm down there, but… I was a bit wary, to say the least."

Cid frowned at him. "Why?"

The old man finished the drink and handed it to Cid. "He… there was… well, when I found him with the other two there was… _something_… around him. It looked like dark _energy_. And then he… well, I admit I was a little scared. With the help of your robotic friend here we managed to get everyone to safety, but I felt a bit better with him down in the cellar."

Cid watched him a second longer before having Holzoff show him the cellar. The old man disappeared to see how Tifa and Barret were doing.

Cid descended the steps into the cellar. It wasn't any different from the rooms above save for the lack of a window and proper lighting. Vincent had been laid out on a futon on his back, his right hand resting across his belly. If even Vincent had collapsed then they really _were_ lucky to be alive; it must have hit extremely cold temperatures outside.

Holzoff hadn't lied when he'd said it was warm in the cellar, and he had taken time to set Vincent up a futon, so there was no reason Cid should disturb him. After all, sleep was a luxury Vincent didn't indulge in. With his head lolled to the side, it was difficult to judge his expression, but Cid silently climbed back up, unwilling to disturb him.

Yuffie had woken when he returned to the living room, looking bright-eyed and well, as though she hadn't just escaped death. How long had they been out cold? Holzoff announced Tifa and Barret were resting deeply, and then supplied Yuffie with the same drink as Cid.

"What exactly were they doing out in their condition?" Holzoff shook his head disapprovingly. "That's just asking to die."

"Let's just say we didn't have much choice," Yuffie shrugged, sipping on her drink.

A short while later Cloud emerged with Red, having been drawn by their voices. They were quickly filled in on what Cid currently knew.

"I'm glad you're all fine," Holzoff said, leaning against the kitchenette counter as he ran his eyes over their half-formed group. "You folks," he turned his gaze on Red and Cloud, "collapsed at the Great Glacier. It was lucky I was hiking past. And even luckier _you_ were awake just enough to tell me about your companions in the tent," he added, fixing his aging eyes on Red. "I must admit, it threw me that you could talk."

"It does most people," Red responded lightly.

Holzoff nodded. "Well, I've been living here for twenty years now, so I've seen some strange things. You folks trying to get to the Gaia Cliffs?"

Cloud folded his arms and leant back against the wall by the couch. "Over them, actually…"

Holzoff nodded. "There's an old legend that something fell from the sky here a long time ago. It struck so hard it pushed up the land and formed these mountains. Interesting, hm?"

Cid glanced at Cloud. The memory of Professor Gast's videos was still fresh in their minds.

"There's a biting cold up there on them peaks," the old man continued. "I lost a good friend to the climate. That's when I settled here, providing shelter for fellow hikers. If you're going to climb the cliffs make sure to follow two rules. One, _always_ check your map. It's too easy to assume you're going in the right direction and mistake the wrong landmarks for the right ones. Two, take the time to warm yourselves up at regular intervals. Body temperature drops rapidly up there. I don't care what you got to do, dance about, squats, jumping jacks, just make sure you do it regularly."

Cid had to wrestle with his own mind to keep it out of the gutter.

"Promise me that and I'll wish you good luck on your hike," Holzoff smiled.

The group nodded in affirmation, grateful for the tips. Hopefully, armed with those simple tactics, no one was going to faint.

"It must have taken a lot out of you all to get this far, so you're welcome to stay here and rest for the night. Your two sick companions should recover completely before going out there again, but I sense you're in some rush."

"You could put it like that," Yuffie said, finishing her drink.

"We'll see how they are tomorrow," Cloud said, mostly to himself. "If they're still ill we might have to leave them behind."

Holzoff turned his eyes to the door. "Your red-caped friend sure is sleeping a long time…"

"He needs it, he ain't big on sleep," Cid said.

Accepting the answer, the old man turned to his little kitchen. "Who's hungry? I only have simple food, I'm afraid, but a basic meal is better than no meal."

Yuffie jumped to her feet at the mention of food. Cid's stomach rumbled, but as their host began clanging pots and pans he found his thoughts wandering to Vincent, his hand unconsciously ghosting over the stitches on the back of his neck.

/

The old man had nothing in the way of entertainment, no television, no books and only a primitive radio, so they passed the time with talk and tales. It was as the sun was starting to sink below the horizon Cloud pulled on his coat and disappeared outside for some solitude, looking far too lost in his thoughts.

Holzoff set up a small plate of food with a glass of water and handed them to Cid. "Why don't you take this down to your friend in the cellar? He'll probably be hungry when he wakes."

Any good excuse to leave the small confines of the stuffy room, Cid gladly took the plate and glass and left the rest of them talking amongst themselves. He was getting fed up of listening to forced topics and drawn out conversations.

He opened and closed the cellar door quietly and made his way down into the dimmer lighting. Vincent hadn't moved an inch, which was either a good sign that he was resting well… or a bad sign that he was dead.

Cid set the plate and water on the floor and took a seat on the second last step. He took his cigarette packet from his pocket and lit one, enjoying the taste the way only nicotine could deliver it. How long had it been since he last smoked? It was back in the town. At least all this running around in life-threatening temperatures and getting hassled by Turks had kept his craving at bay. Unfortunately boredom brought it back.

"I take it we're all still alive."

Cid glanced from his cigarette to the gunman slowly sitting up. "Yeah, although I thought _you_ might've died for a bit. Yer've been out a while."

Vincent took in his surroundings. "Where are we?"

"Holzoff's house. We've got him to thank for our lives."

Vincent looked at Cid, his red eyes brightening as he woke fully. "He's not dead then?" He said rhetorically.

Cid sniffed in amusement. "Seems so. I suppose he's got good reason for not tellin' his wife. Maybe he just didn't wanna drink that shitty tea any more."

This coaxed a faint smile from his pale friend, but he dipped his chin behind his collar, either out of habit or deliberately. "What is our current situation?" He asked after a second, checking his weapon was still holstered.

"Tifa and Barret are still out, might be leaving 'em behind," Cid summed up, taking a slow draft on his cigarette. "We'll see tomorrow."

Those crimson eyes rose again, hesitantly. "Did I… hurt anyone?"

Cid frowned. "What?"

Gleaming an answer from Cid's oblivion, the gunman shook his head. "Nothing…"

Confused, Cid gestured with his cigarette hand to the food and water on the floor. "There's yer dinner. Don't worry, it ain't leftovers, it's what we all got, too."

Vincent gave it an indifferent glance before finding more interest in Cid again. "I assume Holzoff doesn't approve of smoking," he said, eyeing the cigarette.

Cid considered the smoke between his fingers. "I've got no freakin' clue if he approves or not. I came down here for a change of company." He felt pleased, strangely enough; Vincent's assumption was a topic starter, indicating his choice to engage Cid in conversation. Improvement indeed.

"You came to talk to an unconscious man?"

Cid smiled. "Somethin' wrong with that?"

Vincent gave him a wry expression wrung from his usual stoic one. "Possibly..."

The pilot grinned. "I gotta admit, yer a better conversationalist when yer conscious."

"I wouldn't describe myself as a conversationalist."

"Fuck no, me neither," Cid agreed, taking a long drag.

It occurred to him, several hours later when he was laying down on his futon for the night, that he might possibly, maybe somewhat accidentally, unintentionally, have been flirting with the gunman all the three long hours he had been in the cellar.

_Pft, don't be fucking stupid, Highwind. Just go to sleep._

He did just that.

/

Tifa and Barret were in no condition to get out of bed the next morning, let alone hike more freezing temperatures. Cloud returned from their small room with the news that they would be staying behind until they recovered. The team couldn't afford to wait, so their only option was to leave them. Holzoff promised to take care of them, but forced the rest of the team to eat a warm meal before they left. Cloud disappeared outside before Cid had even touched his food.

"That boy's got some weight on his shoulders," Holzoff remarked wisely.

"Aye," Cait Sith said solemnly as they all quietly looked at the front door. "That he has."

They finished their meal in silence. As Cid finished the last of his nutrition flakes (which tasted like dried Chocobo shit… he guessed) he noticed the strange, furtive looks Holzoff was giving to Vincent. The pilot recognized the expression of mistrust etched into the old man's features. Mistrust and caution.

"How long is it gonna take us to get to the Northern Crater?" Yuffie asked Holzoff a few minutes later when they were pulling on their coats and gloves.

"A long time," their host said seriously. "The same amount of time it took you to get here from Icicle Inn."

"Whaaaa?!"

Hozloff nodded somberly. "Yes. But unlike that trek, the path to the Northern Crater takes you through the mountains themselves, so you won't be exposed to the elements. You'll find warming yourselves up much easier."

"Goodie," Cid murmured sarcastically.

"There're a lot of dangerous monsters in them caves," the old man told them, his eyes flickering to Vincent again. "I hope you know what you're in for."

"We can handle it," Yuffie exclaimed, gesturing a fist for power and resolve.

The team picked up their packs and weapons and said their goodbyes to Holzoff. He nodded in response as he watched them leave.

The cold stung Cid's face as he stepped from the warmth, but he noticed the sun shining weakly in the morning sky and the clear day that greeted him. An improvement from relentless snowfall.

Turning his eyes to the uphill incline leading towards the mountain trail, Cid noticed Cloud stood motionless, his back to them all as he gazed at the path before them. He was lost in thought.

"Cloud," Yuffie called gently. "We're all set."

The young man turned and swept his eyes over them, an unreadable expression on his fair features. He nodded.

They set off steadily, pacing themselves and preparing for another long journey. They had plenty of food to last them and Holzoff's tips to ensure they didn't freeze. But they were two people short, and two people felt like a missing arm. Nevertheless, they pushed on, leaving the open terrain to enter the mountain caves.

Hours later, and several skirmishes with a few brave monsters, they stopped for their third snack break. Holzoff had advised them to eat small but regularly.

The caverns and tunnels in the mountain were old, but the rock shone like polished glass in certain places, drawing Cid's eyes to their crystal-like surfaces as he ate. They were, however, quite tight and confining in some parts, and dangerous in others for their hidden stalactites. Lighting wasn't great, but far from pitch black; strange pools of light shone from under the ice throughout the tunnels. Cid guessed they were trapped pockets of unrefined Mako – a guess that was unofficially confirmed by the increased pigment of both Cloud and Vincent's eyes.

Something echoed in the cave as they ate in silence. Something not Avalanche. They immediately froze, straining their ears for a direction or identification. The sound moaned again; not close, but not far. The team quickly rose to their feet and held their weapons ready, advancing to the end of the blue cavern and into a long tunnel.

Something appeared from the darkness, stumbling towards them before falling to the ground. It was a caped figure. It moaned again.

"What the hell?" Cid murmured as they cautiously approached.

Cloud neared the fallen figure, but as he did it disappeared into thin air mysteriously. Like a ghost. Yuffie gasped.

"Those freaks're just fuckin' weird," Cid muttered as they examined the floor where the cloaked figure had fallen. There was nothing there, no clue at all.

"Uuuh, guys…" Yuffie began, her large eyes looking about. "Something's coming…"

Cid frowned, but then he felt it. The floor was vibrating irregularly… like a hurried heartbeat. That couldn't be good.

Behind them the ceiling of the tunnel crumbled and fell loudly, startling them. More solid ice followed, nearing them as the tremors became stronger and stronger.

"Time to go!" Cait suggested, urging his mog into a fast run.

The rest followed quickly, outracing the pursuing cave-in. The route ahead was dark, they couldn't see what they were running to, but they had little choice.

"We're heading towards the source of the vibrations," Red called above the noise of the falling rock.

"Terrific," Cid groaned.

The darkness opened up, and with a sprint the team leapt from the confines of the tunnel and into a jaggedly walled chamber, lit only by faint Mako pools. A deafening roar erupted from their right. Yuffie and Red dove out the way as something huge stomped directly where they had stood.

"Whoa!" Yuffie exclaimed.

As one they all looked up to the monster towering over them. Two grotesque heads swung from independent necks as it glowered at them from evil, little eyes. Both jaws opened, revealing dagger-like teeth, and hissed at the team. Suddenly the left head lunged for Cait Sith.

"Yipes!" He cried, both cat and mog throwing themselves in opposite directions.

The explosion of Vincent's gun on his right made Cid jump as the gunman opened fire. The creature roared in rage and charged after the caped man, instigating the others into the fight.

Its skin was thick – _really_ thick. Cid thrust his spear into its flank but did little more than cut into its blubber. Rump attacks were useless for his weapon, he needed to aim for vulnerable areas. Like a neck.

Before he could spring to it, the left head reared back and a burst of fire billowed from its maw – right at the pilot.

"Cid – "

His breath was knocked from him as someone slammed into his side, rolling with him and out of harm. Ice melted all around them in the sheer heat of the monster's attack. Cid would have been barbequed.

"Shit, that's what I call a hidden weapon," the blond commented breathlessly as they gathered their limbs. "Thanks, Vince."

They helped each other to their feet before rejoining the fight. With two, long necks to aim for, it wasn't long before the team had overcome the creature, defeating it relatively easily. Blood poured from multiple wounds as it coughed on its own blood. It died a few seconds later.

"Let's not crash into another one of them," Yuffie said, attaching her weapon to her back.

"We didn't really have much choice," Cait stated, glancing back at the tunnel they had come from. He was back atop his mog.

Cloud flung the blood from his sword, his expression masked yet again. "Let's keep moving." He walked off.

Cid found himself exchanging looks with Red.

/

The pilot wasn't sure how long it took them to move through the mountain, only that it seemed to go on forever. They stopped frequently to warm up and eat, and encountered a few more pests that got in their way, but the journey felt monotonous, even despite the beautiful crystal-like structures here and there throughout the caverns.

When they finally saw sunlight, it was low in the sky and threatening to bring dusk. They emerged from the ice chambers to the outer edge of the mountain, where their path was not so flat.

Cait was the first to voice their direction. "Looks like we climb," he said, looking up at the steep, uneven way.

Cloud led the way, with a trail of Yuffie, Red, Cait and Cid. The incline was almost vertical, and they were forced to use their hands a few times.

Pausing, Cid craned his neck back and looked down at the niche they had left. Vincent was still stood on it, looking intently at the atmospherically blurred landscape in the distance. It was a beautiful sight; miles and miles of snow-topped mountains and valleys. Geography was astounding. However, Cid's eyes wandered back to Vincent, and from his high angle he was given a non-obscured view of the man's face. Speaking of a beautiful sight…

Cid shook his head at himself, turned, and continued to climb.

The incline was tough, but thankfully short. Those in front disappeared over the trail, and when Cid caught sight of them again, with Vincent behind, they were stood on level ground, watching something. As the pilot came to his feet, the view beyond was opened to him.

"Wow," he said simply, but impressed nonetheless.

They had arrived at the very summit of the Northern Crater. And there, in the center, was a huge, slowly spinning, shimmering cyclone of pure Mako.

"That's amazing," Cait said in awe.

"This is the Crater…" Cloud said to himself. "It landed here…"

Cid knew what he was referring to. He could only imagine the sheer size of the explosion all those years ago. And still Jenova lived to haunt the Cetra… It chilled Cid to think _anything_ could walk away from something like that.

Cloud moved forward. "We have to find a way down."

Obediently, his team followed.

/


	19. The Northern Crater

**Journey**

/

The Crater floor was rough terrain. A knee-high smog hindered their safety, forcing them to walk cautiously. This didn't stop them from tripping over unseen rocks jutting from the floor, though. Yuffie stumbled over at one point and was almost lost in the thick mist.

The distance to the center was far, and as they traveled lower and lower along the bedrock they lost sight of the central impact site. But the column of Mako remained visible, a mystical reminder of their destination. Their route took them through rock eruptions and around obelisks, across an ominous territory darker than the claustrophobic confines of the mountain tunnels.

"Look," Yuffie hissed.

There was no need to point. Ahead of them was another cloaked figure, trudging along the edge of the rocky trail. But as they approached, the figure went over without a sound. They rushed to the edge. There was nothing to see.

"This is officially creepy," Yuffie commented, taking a step back from the edge.

"Then let's end it quickly," Cloud said in a low voice, eyeing the path ahead of them.

They had only continued walking for a minute before Cloud, Red and Vincent all looked up curiously. Something had caught their attentions.

"What is it?" Cait asked.

Cid looked up, too, about to ask the same when he heard it. Actually, he felt it first: The familiar disturbances in the airwaves, the vibration of smooth machinery at work. Then it flew into view, high above them.

"My baby!" he exclaimed achingly. Everyone looked at him. "That's my baby, the Highwind," he told them defiantly, as though they should have known. He watched her pass overhead and out of view; a fleeting glimpse. "Shinra bastards confiscated her from me. I haven't seen her in ages…"

"You _made_ that?" Yuffie sounded incredulous. "I know you're the plane guy, but that was a freakin' flying _fortress_."

Cid stared after his aircraft longingly. "Took me years," he reminisced.

"Then Shinra are here," Cloud surmised. "We have to hurry."

All Cid could think about from then on was his airship. How had they been treating her? He knew the Shinra crew was absolutely fucking useless because they often consulted him on her operations and performance issues (of which she had none, he'd tell them. None!) They didn't understand her quirks, and he told them as much. He also told them where to shove their questions.

He was so lost in his thoughts he didn't pay any attention to their route until they came to a bridge carved of rock. The wind streaming across it brought him back to reality with a forceful push. It was a really strong wind. Although how such a gale could kick up in a crater he didn't know.

"Hey," Cait pointed, once they had crossed.

On the other side, following the rocky path above them listlessly, were at least a dozen cloaked figures.

"Why are they all converging in the Crater?" Yuffie pondered aloud. "Where're they all _coming_ from?"

"It's Sephiroth's doing, somehow," Red answered. His good eye traveled to the tattoo on his shoulder.

The scene became weirder still as the figures began falling like flies, or walking straight off the edge of the rocky trail. When the team neared, none were alive. They trod around them, confused as to why these cloaked figures all met the same, strange end. When Cid looked back, the ones they had passed where gone. They had vanished.

Cloud stopped abruptly, his body tensed.

There, with his back towards them, stood the long, silver-haired ex-general.

"_Sephiroth,"_ Cloud hissed. There was a venom in his voice Cid had never heard before. "This is the end for you."

The murdered did not turn around. For some reason this sent a chill through Cid.

"You're right," Sephiroth said – but his voice didn't come directly from him. It echoed all around them, from the very air. "This is the end of this body's usefulness."

Cid's brow furrowed as he tried to comprehend what the madman meant, but in the blink of an eye Sephiroth disappeared.

Darkness fell over them.

"Whuh- where did he go?" Yuffie quavered, weapon in hand, looking about nervously.

Cid grabbed his spear. He didn't like this one bit. Beside him, Vincent had poised his gun, his eyes narrow and searching. His talons flexed at the ready.

"Our purpose… is to deliver the Black Materia…"

Cid swung around, but Sephiroth wasn't there. "What the fuck is goin' on?" The pilot demanded.

"Those who carry Jenova cells…"

Meeting Vincent's eye, Cid frowned seriously, bewildered. The murdering bastard was toying with them, watching them squirm. Red was growling lowly. His keen senses couldn't pinpoint Sephiroth either.

Abruptly, Vincent twisted his gun with the speed only a Turk could exhibit and aimed high. Cid had barely turned his eyes to look when something rushed at them. He was pushed hard, hearing the clean slice of a blade cut through the air millimeters away from his ear, and the cry of someone else slamming into the ground. The pilot hit the floor hard, but his momentum carried him to the edge. He tumbled over – but caught himself just in time. He clung to the cutting rock, ignoring the pain blossoming through his body.

Before and above him, stood on the walkway where the rest of the group lay, was Sephiroth. His green eyes turned to regard them arrogantly. Like insects.

Cid glared at him, but he didn't even notice and walked away without a word. The pilot turned his attention to his teammates. They were moving, but they had all been knocked hard. No one appeared seriously harmed which was… lucky. Incredibly lucky. Vincent was the first to stumble to his feet. His crimson eyes burned on their attacker, his flawless features twisted in slight pain.

Cloud rose to his feet. Sephiroth stopped walking and paused, looking over his shoulder at the blond. He closed his eyes and smiled. No, he _smirked_. A cold, heartless, amused smirk. Then he turned and raised his sword, signaling his battle intentions. Cloud responded with his own, his teeth gritted, his brow set angrily.

The rest of the team quickly climbed to their feet. Vincent grabbed Cid's hand and hauled him back onto the rocky trail effortlessly, but then winced and clutched his side. Sephiroth had damaged someone after all.

The fight they anticipated was not what they expected, at all. Sephiroth didn't rush them. No. From where he stood his form writhed and grew, mutating into a towering abomination; a creature more alien than anything found on Gaia. Just like the monster in the Ancient City.

Red leapt first, fangs bared, tail ablaze. Cid dove to the side a split second later to miss a sweeping appendage from the monster, landing in unison with Yuffie. They both jumped into the fight, cutting with their weapons.

The creature was strong. It hissed and lunged at Cloud, clawing at him with its strange limbs. It missed the blond, but as it recoiled it swung around and batted Cait and Red from the air, throwing them far away and dangerously close to the edge of the path. Cid saw an opening and rammed his spear into its navel – or flank – or hell, even its face for all he knew. It was a disgusting jumble of organic matter. Anatomy be damned.

Motion caught his attention from the corner of his eye. Something swiped for him – only to explode in a shower of bullets, blood and tissue. Cid glanced at Vincent evacuating his empty shells, about to catch his eye and offer a thankful nod, but his intention changed in an instant.

"Behind you!" He bellowed.

Vincent reacted with lightning speed and ducked, hair whisking around his face. He could have leapt, putting him in the direct path of a powerful, sweeping appendage with a deadly claw poised in the center, but he must have sensed the oncoming air pressure (or he was fucking psychic).

So instead of battering its intended target, the length of monstrous flesh continued to swing around to Cid.

Acting quickly, the pilot jumped and thrust his weapon down, slicing off the dangerous limb. It fell heavily to the floor and writhed, but before he could do anything else he was knocked hard from behind and flung forward. His face scraped against the rough ground as stinging pain exploded across his cheekbone. _Fucking ow…_

"Cid!" Yuffie landed beside him and crouched down, her eyes on the creature as Cid climbed back to his feet. She seemed to make sure he was steady and sober before saying, "Is this thing really _Sephiroth_?"

Cid glared at the monster as he wiped at the warm blood seeping down his cheek. "I knew he was a fucked up freak, but _shit me _if this don't take the cake."

They both caught sight of an incoming attack at the same time. They dashed to safety as a cable-thick appendage slammed into the ground where they had been stood, throwing out shards of rock, like missiles. Cid managed to dodge, but by the hiss Yuffie gave he had no doubt she'd gotten nicked.

Cloud landed beside him heavily, sporting a small bleeding shoulder cut. His blue eyes were glaring vividly at the creature. "It's not him," the young man said lowly.

Cid frowned at him, half an eye on the flailing monster. "What?"

But his answer jumped away as Cloud rejoined the fray. Cid considered his words briefly before turning back to the fight. He hurtled himself into the air, driving his weapon into the center torso as the thing chased Red through the air. It roared in anger and attempted to batter Cid, but the pilot rolled and twisted from harm's way, now providing the distraction. Cloud and Yuffie slashed in unison, slashing off lethal chunks of flesh from the body as Red followed through. He rammed the rear side with enough force the creature buckled, and like a logger felling a tree, he skidded away to watch as the monster tottered for a long moment and then crashed to the ground loudly, shaking the rock beneath their feet. It took mere seconds for Cloud to hack it to pieces.

Cid watched it groan its last, and then tightening the grip on his weapon as it began to move – no, it began to morph and shrink. Two seconds later a small, dark materia hovered in the air eerily. Cloud approached it.

"Okay, what the fuck?" Cid blurted out, relaxing his stance and glaring at the offending material.

Cloud reached down and picked up the materia. The very same one he had 'given' to Sephiroth at the Ancient Temple. "That wasn't Sephiroth," he said, lifting his gaze from the object to their misty surroundings. "But he's close…"

"We did we just fight, then?" Yuffie demanded, shifting her weight to one hip, her weapon in hand, still.

Cloud opened his mouth to respond, but something caught his attention, something it seemed Cid, Yuffie and Cait couldn't hear, but Vincent and Red could.

"…oud…"

Cid looked back along the trail they had come from. Making their way towards them were none other than Tifa and Barret, waving in the distance.

"That was a fast recovery," Cait remarked.

A couple of minutes later their two teammates finally joined them, huffing and bending double to catch their breaths. Up close Cait's comment proved false: They didn't look recovered in the slightest.

"We had to come," Tifa gasped for air. She gave a cough. "We followed you. I know we won't be good in a fight, but if this is _the_ fight we don't want to miss it." She swallowed and continued. "Sephiroth killed my family, too. I want to be a part of his defeat."

"What she said," Barret gestured with his head and then fell into a coughing fit.

Cloud stepped closed a few feet, watching them. "At least we're all together for it," he said, to no one and everyone. He looked down at the materia in his hand. "I can't risk taking this any further. Sephiroth is just up ahead. I sense it. But someone has to stay back with the Black Materia." He looked at Barret, the sicker of the two. "Will you?"

The dark man eyed the materia indecisively, slowly gaining his breath back. "If I can't fight, I can at least be useful." He held out a large hand and Cloud gave him the orb. "Damn… pressure's on now." Tifa put a reassuring hand on his arm.

Cloud regarded everyone else. "If we're ready, let's go."

There were one or two resolved nods. Cloud gave Barret the same gesture before he turned and led the group along the rocky path, leaving the dark man to watch their departure silently. Cid gave him a mock salute, to which he received back a humored grin.

After a few minutes along the trail they lost sight of the last battle site and their team mate as the terrain became even harder to walk along. Cid, having been lost in thoughts, sprained his ankle when his boot slid abruptly from an angled rock slab, and spent the next few seconds cursing up a storm (to which Yuffie had a few reprimands for him). His cheek had stopped bleeding, but the blood had dried and he could feel it tugging when he spoke. He scrubbed it off with his gloved hand and then checked the stitches on the back of his neck. Luckily they hadn't been pulled open in the fight.

He was dragged from his thoughts by a surprised noise by Yuffie. He looked up – only to squint against the glare of a bright, white light. It surrounded them, intensifying so strongly Cid was forced to shut his eyes and shield them.

When he opened them, he was met with a rather surprising sight.

/

AN: Originally the battle in this chapter was very different, and I have the other version saved on my hard drive - BUT, I don't wanna upload it yet like I have done my other discarded versions, because it contains a main part of Cid's understanding of Vincent that I've been waiting to put in. It just didn't work out very well in this chapter, it wasn't what I had in my head. So when I do get around to that bit in a future chapter, I'll upload this first version of this onto my Live Journal. However, if you're really curious you can let me know and I can email you the chapter ;)


	20. Nibelheim

**Journey**

/

"Nibelheim…"

The white light disappeared as mysteriously as it had come, revealing a completely different location to what they had been walking through. Cid looked about, bewildered. He had only been to this village a few times in his past, but it hadn't changed at all in the years he'd last seen it.

"What the hell?" Cid exclaimed. "Why Nibelheim?"

Cloud took a few steps forward, scrutinizing their surroundings with a grave, skeptical expression. "This is an illusion," he said carefully, a hateful sparkle gleaming in his eyes. "He's trying to confuse us."

Cid looked at the fence on his left. He kicked it. Yep, felt real. Damn good illusion.

"We'll keep going," Cloud ordered, his gaze set on the village before them. Before he could move forward, though, Tifa drew their attentions.

"Look!"

Turning to see what she was pointing at, Cid and the team looked to village entrance behind them. Immediately they jumped back, weapons at the ready.

Approaching them were four people – the front of whom was none other than Sephiroth. But his demeanor was casual, his pace leisurely. He didn't even seem to acknowledge them. Nevertheless, Cid kept his steady blue eyes on the man and his weapon poised as he tracked his every step.

Sephiroth stopped in the middle of them all, turned, and called out to the other figures. "Pick up the pace."

Cid was surprised by his benign tone. His features were soft, his clear eyes void of any murderous intent. It was like looking at a different man. The man before the monster.

The three figures approached the village entrance as Sephiroth turned and walked away, his long hair streaming behind him. Two were hidden behind their guard uniforms, helmets obscuring their faces. But the third stopped to regard the small village, a light smile on his young features. His spikey black hair defied all laws of gravity… much like Cloud's. His eyes were bright blue, enhanced by Mako, and he wore the unmistakable uniform of a First Class Soldier.

And to Cid's further surprise, he noticed something very familiar attached to the man's back.

"That's…" Yuffie began, trailing off as her eyes switched from the sword on his back to the sword on Cloud's. It was the same. "Shouldn't that be you there?"

Knowing his was missing something, Cid watched on silently, absorbing the scene until Tifa's words struck his curiosity stronger.

"Sephiroth, stop this…" she said, shaking her head gravely at the black-haired Soldier… as though his appearance pained her, somehow.

The departing Sephiroth came to a stop. His shoulders began to shake as a low laughter echoed around them. A cold, cruel chuckle. An ice cold wave ran down Cid's spine.

In the blink of an eye he was gone. As were the guards and the Soldier.

"Uh, I don't like this illusion anymore," Yuffie said, looking about warily. "Can we return to the real world, please?"

Without warning the bright, blinding light returned. Cid was once again forced to squint until his eyes adjusted. It lingered for a longer period, disorientating them, unnerving them with each passing second. Cid tightened his fists around his weapon and waited for it to pass. He could just make out the dark red of Vincent's cape. The gunman was shielding his eyes. It was much too bright for his sensitive vision.

"Stop it!" Tifa's voice called, a lilt of distress in her tone. Cid wondered if this was bringing back some troubling memories, or if the scene was unsettling her more than anyone else.

The white died away quickly. What was revealed was a scene of utter devastation. Nibelheim was ablaze, burning away with intense flames. The heat hit Cid like a crushing wave. Was this really an illusion?

Yuffie gave a quiet gasp, shocked by the drastic change of the village. Before her, Cloud moved forward, his brow crinkled but calm.

"This is what happened five years ago," he said distantly, his eyes flitting over the familiar village. Didn't Tifa once tell Cid that both she and Cloud were born and raised in Nibelheim?

"When the hell did it get set aflame?" Cid mumbled quietly, wondering how something on this scale never made national news. Sure, Nibelheim was a small village, but this would have been a huge disaster…

Yuffie stepped closer, eyeing the flames of the building closest. "You missed some crucial flashbacks before you joined."

Before she could explain further, Cloud stepped away from them and walked into the burning village, disappearing into the heavy smoke. They all glanced edgily at each other before following, avoiding the reaching flames despite the fact it was supposedly still only an illusion. Cid hovered a palm close to the wall of a burning building. The radiating heat felt much too real for his liking. If they weren't careful, they could end up with some unfortunate burns.

"This is terrible," Red said quietly as they passed through the town square. The roar and crackling of the fire almost smoothered his comment.

"Just what in the hell caused this?" Cid demanded.

A few steps ahead of him, bathed in the raging glow of the fire, Tifa turned to him. Her eyes were swimming with pain and grief. "Sephiroth." Was all she said.

A few minutes later, they came to the outskirts of the town, where the wilderness began. Looming into the blazing night, between them and the mountain pass, was a dark, dismal mansion. Untouched by the fire.

"Why didn't he burn this place, as well?" Red asked, coming to a stop beside Cloud's knee.

Cloud's gaze was pinned to the huge building. "This is where it began."

Cid's eyebrow twitched. Well, that was a vague and cryptic answer. He studied the building, wondering what rich son of a bitch inhabited it back in its day – and then recalled that Nibelheim was home to the Shinra Manor. This must be it. Set back from the town, reclusive and unwelcoming, it would have guarded its company secrets well.

Among those secrets, he remembered suddenly, was Vincent Valentine.

So this was where Avalanche had freed him from a coffin? That meant, right now in this past illusion, he was still in there sleeping. He would have been completely oblivious to this tragedy.

Cid sneaked a look to his right. Vincent's eyes were locked on the mansion. Something wide and furious but distant glared in them, a mix of emotions Cid couldn't begin to understand. He supposed it was a cold slap in the face to be back in Nibelheim.

"That won't be me coming out…" Cloud uttered softly, drawing back Cid's attention.

In the next second the large front doors to the huge mansion flew open despite how heavy they looked, and someone raced out from the dark interior. It was the black-haired Soldier. He ran towards the group, but it was clear he couldn't see them. He passed through Cloud like the blond was the apparition, leaving the kid blinking in unease. They turned and followed the young Soldier back towards the town, towards the intense heat where he slowed into a walk. His body language broadcasted his utter shock at the state of Nibelheim, and for a moment he gaped at the flames devastating the buildings all around him. Cid studied his face, noting the small scar on his jawline and his expressive, blue, blue eyes. In all ways, this young man reminded Cid so much of Cloud. And just what was with the identical sword?

Someone amidst the flames in the square called out to the Soldier. Avalanche tailed him around a fallen, burning wall and found a middle-aged man crouched on the ground by a motionless body. They hadn't been there a few minutes ago.

The Soldier immediately ran over and the man rose to his feet, pointing across the square.

"You check those houses," he barked. "I'll check this side." With that he rushed inside to find survivors.

The young Soldier took off to the opposite side, running straight through Yuffie who gasped and recoiled visibly – but a moment later the entire scene around them dissolved into another abrupt whiteout, and the noise of the burning town disappeared, along with the Soldier.

"Okay, just why in the fuck is this happenin', again?" Cid demanded, although no one had offered an explanation in the first place. Cid didn't understand why this town was being shown to them. He didn't even understand _how_. Was this Sephiroth's doing? Was that freaky alien bastard offspring so powerful he had the ability to zap them into _any_ illusion? That was pretty scary; a madman in control of such power. Not to mention the actual possession of said power – when the hell did people stop being human? Shinra had _so_ much shit to answer for.

Their environment bled back into view, revealed beneath the dispersing white. Cid looked about; they had been dumped in the middle of a small street, where the wreckage of burning buildings littered everywhere. Outside a blackened, shell of a building to their left was a burning corpse. The fire had eaten away any distinguishable features. Cid scrunched up his nose, and then remembered that this had apparently really happened in the past, and adopted a more somber, respectful expression.

"Sephiroth!" Cloud called suddenly, loudly. "I know you're listening! Is this what you want to show me? That I wasn't really here?"

Cid was just confused as hell.

The air around them seemed to tighten for a split second, suffocating, and at the same time a deep, resounding noise vibrated Cid's bones. He was temporarily blinded by a quick flash of that bright haze – only to have his heart leap into his throat at the sudden appearance of Sephiroth before them. Everyone jumped back, weapons clasped in white-knuckled grips.

"Are you finally starting to understand?" The man questioned condescendingly, gazing at Cloud with rapt attention. His eyes were cold and penetrating, but gleaming with dark enjoyment. Like a hungry predator deciding what he was going to do with his prey.

"Understand your illusion?" Cloud pressed angrily, warily. His stance was tight, coiled.

The smirk widened. "You are nothing but a puppet," he spoke clearly, pronouncing each word with deliberation. "What I have shown you is the _true_ reality. What you remember_…_ _that_ is the illusion."

Cid felt his brow twitch as a cold shiver ran along his spine. Something negative washed through him, something that wondered if there was any truth to Sephiroth's words. And if there was, what did that mean?

"Why are you doing this?" Cloud demanded.

Sephiroth lowered his head slowly, his eyed locked onto Cloud's beneath his sharp brow. "I want to take you back," he drawled lowly, dangerously, and everything in Cid screamed _run_. "To your _real_ self. To the one who gave me the Black Materia. The failed experiment that has proven more useful than he ever imagined."

Cloud frowned hard, his blue eyes unblinking. "What?"

Sephiroth raised his head, his gaze trained on the young leader with a focus that would have made any normal individual step back. "Five years ago, you were _reconstructed_. By Hojo."

To the side of Cid, Vincent stiffened visibly at the mention of that name. Cid's eyes darted to him, but his focus was entirely fixated on the ex-general. When the pilot's gaze returned to Sephiroth, his piercing eyes had switched targets, choosing instead to stare at Vincent, drawn by his reaction to Hojo's name. Alarm bells rang wildly in Cid's head as the madman's expression transitioned into something completely unreadable. Somehow, Vincent had captured Sephiroth's undivided attention, studying him in a moment of deadly silence. It occurred to Cid that maybe Sephiroth was seeing something that their human perceptions couldn't.

Movement from Cloud stole back his focus with a leisurely ease, and the expression returned. "After Nibelheim burnt to the ground, you were pieced back together… and made into a _puppet_," he singled his words again, each one falling into their minds like weights. "A shell of vibrant Jenova cells. An incomplete Sephiroth clone, not even worthy of a number."

"Cloud…" Tifa about whispered, worry and warning heavy in her sick-weakened tone as she half reached for him. "He's lying, don't listen to him."

Sephiroth made them all jump as cruel laughter burst from his lips. His shoulders shook with cold humor. He turned his sight upon her. "Why do you seem worried by my words?" He mocked.

Tifa's wide eyes stared at him before they darted away to the floor. Something akin to guilt flashed beneath their swirling surfaces.

Cloud had turned his face to her. He frowned faintly by her action. "Tifa…?"

Sephiroth glowed with malicious intent right before he vanished into thin air. Avalanche looked about edgily, nerves wound tight at his disappearing act. They knew he was still watching –_not_ a comforting thought. Cloud gave his previously occupied space another trouble frown before turning his body to Tifa. His features, although no less confused, softened.

"Tifa… is there something you know…?" He asked. It was obvious there were questions railroading through his mind, and it was becoming more apparent that Tifa might be holding on to some secrets relevant to this crazy mission. Cloud's frown took on a different façade. "I wasn't _constructed_. We grew up here, together…" There was a searching tone in his voice, between a question and a statement. He was hesitant to form his words, watching his friend closely. "I remember everything… Don't you?"

The young woman's face was a twisted mix of emotions as she stared at him. "Cloud… What you remember isn't…I don't know how to explain it, just…" She couldn't seem to find the words, trying to communicate something too complicated through her features. She closed her mouth, giving up whatever she was trying to say.

Cid's gaze shifted from one to the other as he and the others watched silently, with only the fires crackling around them to provide noise. There was a heavy tension in the air, and it took most of Cid's self-control not to yell, "just _what_ the fuck is goin' on here?!"

To his side, Yuffie gasped, and everyone turned sharply to see that Sephiroth had reappeared several yards away, behind a wall of fire that separated them. The flickering light illuminated his features vividly, casting dancing shadows across his malevolent expression as he regarded them dangerously. Something in the way he watched them sent an intense, icy wave down Cid's spine. _Inhuman_.

"The power to change appearance, voice, memories…" Sephiroth's voice echoed clearly, sinisterly. "That is the power of Jenova." His lips curled in dark amusement, drinking in the young man's confusion. "Inside of you, Cloud, Jenova has _merged_ with the memories of someone who claims to know you." His vivid green eyes shifted meaningfully onto Tifa. "And that event created – " his gazed switched back " – _you_."

Tifa began shaking her head, her hair and earrings swaying. "No, Cloud – that's not true."

Red suddenly jumped, almost landing on Cid's feet. They all spun once again as the madman appeared right before them. Cid's nerves were getting frayed, and his knuckles had long since lost feeling over the death grip on his weapon.

"Still you do not believe me?" Sephiroth questioned with a thin layer of mock disappointment. His smile faded slightly as his gaze hardened a touch. "Do you remember the photograph, Cloud? The picture that was taken of us before we journeyed to the reactor?" He turned his eyes on the corpse to his left, drawing everyone's attention to it. "The photographer kept ahold of it." He lifted a hand. From the charred remains of the body something rose into the air of its own volition and soared to Sephiroth's awaiting hand.

Cid's eyes widened. _Holy shit, he's telekinetic…_

"Do you want to see it?" He taunted. Without waiting for a reply, he flicked his wrist and the photo sliced through the air, halting before Cloud, where it hovered expectantly.

"Cloud," Tifa warned.

The young man eyed the photo cagily before reaching for it. He took it in his gloved hand and let his eyes skim over the image there. Finally, he raised his eyes and found Sephiroth's.

"Why should I believe this any more than your words?" He said coldly. "I _remember_ coming to Nibelheim, to inspect the reactor. I was sixteen. That was my first mission after rising to First Class…" His sentence trailed off as his tone wavered on uncertainty.

Sephiroth vanished once again. Before he went Cid noticed a smug, triumphant smirk twisting his features. His seed of doubt had been planted...

Cloud's eyes flickered to Tifa's. "I…I don't remember entering Soldier…"

She stood motionless, watching him through an expression of solemn regret and sympathy. Cid was sure she knew more about this baffling situation than Cloud did.

"How did I _join_ Soldier?" Cloud asked himself, eyes vacantly on the ground as troubled thoughts rolled through his head. "Why can't I remember?" He winced and raised a hand to his head, as though something had caused him pain.

It was as Tifa was reaching for him consolingly that the bright light once again overpowered their vision and consumed everything in sight.

/


	21. Crystal Cave

**Journey**

/

It felt like hours while they were blinded by the whiteness, stuck in the strange void with no sound, no sight, no smell – no nothing. Cid couldn't move his body, and that scared him. This display of power that Sephiroth had was incredible; in the bad way. He could just as easily freeze them in this nothingness forever, and they were powerless. Cid had never felt so defenseless before – really, he hadn't. And he _really_ didn't like it.

No one was saying anything; he didn't think they even could. He couldn't see anybody except the blurred, bleached form of Red's hindquarters a few feet in front of him; unmoving. It was like a fog of light. Cid wrestled with his legs but they wouldn't budge. His heart rate was beginning to climb as anger started swirling with fear inside him.

Something touched his shoulder and he jumped. A warm sensation trickled into him from the point of contact and he was able to look at his right arm. Vincent's hand was resting on it. Through the white void the gunman's eyes pierced the brightness like sharp orbs of ruby materia. Cid was momentarily hypnotized, but Vincent's hand applied a reassuring pressure and dropped away, taking with it the sense of warmth. Cid's heart rate had calmed.

The white dissipated abruptly, like a vacuum of space had opened and sucked it away. Cid blinked as his eyes adjusted to the darker setting and looked once more at the gunman. He had been able to move in that immobilizing whiteout whereas Cid and the rest (he assumed) had not. After witnessing Sephiroth's little show of power, the pilot was seriously wondering what kind Vincent possessed.

"Hey! Where'd you come from?"

Cid turned his bewildered eyes on their new location. They had been transported into a large cave, light bounced around them, shining and reflecting from the crystal-like walls. But they weren't alone; watching them with equally shocked expressions were none other than Rufus, Scarlet… and Hojo.

There was a flurry of motion beside him and the menacing click of a safety being removed. Cid glanced at Vincent's raised gun. His aim was expertly trained, not a single shake as it set upon Hojo, but his eyes were ablaze with rage – a hatred of such intensity Cid wouldn't have thought stoic Vincent could display. They had been ruby red only moments ago, now they were the color of bleeding amber – and flickering erratically with gold.

Scarlet uttered a sound of caution, but Hojo… there was no fear there. His face had shifted into an expression of cold, focused interest, and a faint, wicked smile was curling his thin lips. Every fiber of him was dissecting Vincent's appearance with sick, scientific wonderment.

"Vincent Valentine," he said, drawing out the name. His attention was completely locked on his victim. "My, my, your hair has grown…"

Cid's eyes switched to the gunman, barely daring to move. He realized Hojo probably last saw Vincent when he was shorter haired, when he first locked him up all those years ago.

"Another one of your projects, Hojo?" Scarlet questioned snidely.

"The first," Hojo declared with a hush, as though revealing a proud secret. His sick smile twitched, amused by the way in which Vincent's eyes narrowed dangerously. And when Cid meant dangerously, he meant _take-a-fucking-step-back dangerously_. "Vincent provided the very first human experimentation for Mako conditioning. It was the breakthrough of the century." The smile widened. "It's thanks to his results that the Jenova Project succeeded…"

Cid's eyebrows rose. _What?_

"Well, your 'first'," Scarlet began, adding air quotes sardonically, "has a very large gun trained on your head, Hojo. I suggested you leash your dog so we can get down to business." Her arrogant demeanor took a sudden turn, and Cid realized Vincent had fixed his unnerving eyes on her instead. If Cid were Scarlet, he would be _running_.

"Vincent," Yuffie called quietly, almost calmingly, as though worried he would pull the trigger. Cid wondered if she remembered that Vincent's whole reason for joining them was to put a bullet in Hojo's head.

The scientist's voice broke the following quiet. It was a single word, but nothing in any language Cid could recognize.

Frowning, the pilot glanced at Vincent – only to find him lowering his gun, his movements mechanical. His eyes were wide, but no longer with fury. No; with fear and shock: An unsettling pair of emotions that Cid would never have thought possible in those eyes. The gun arm rested by his side, and the ex-Turk stood motionless. A horrible chill swam up Cid's spine. Something was wrong with Vincent.

"Even with all that power I endowed you with," Hojo mused, "and you still cannot overcome me."

Cid turned a hard glare on him and advanced a few steps. "What the fuck did you do?" He growled loudly, brandishing his spear.

Hojo turned his cool eyes on him. "Highwind, isn't it? Only man on the Planet to design a functioning space rocket. I would love to dissect _your_ brain." He smiled wickedly.

"Enough, Hojo," Rufus demanded with all the authority of a President. He scowled at the wasted time. "We didn't come here to _banter_."

If he was about to say more, he was interrupted by a deep, _deep_ rumble that vibrated through the very rock of the cave; a sound that more resembled an organic growl than a subterranean echo. Avalanche looked about in concern.

"Wuh-what was that?" Yuffie demanded.

Rufus and Scarlet looked nervously at the cavern wall behind them, as though they knew something Avalanche didn't.

Before anyone could answer, a cry from the other side of the cavern drew all eyes to Cloud. His face twisted as he clutched his head, sucking in a rasping breath. He bent double, eyes clamped shut.

"Cloud!" Tifa rushed to his side, hands touching in a helpless sense of comfort. She looked lost as to what to do. "What's wrong?"

Heavy footsteps rapidly approached from the darkness behind Cid. He whirled around, torn between being unable to help Vincent, unable to help Cloud and now to confront whoever was about to crash the party.

Barret emerged from the dark tunnel at the back of the cave, his eyes wide as he took in the scene he'd found. He was huffing, his breathing labored by his illness, but he immediately raised his weapon when he saw three of his least favored people on the Planet. He trained his gunarm on Rufus.

"Anyone wanna tell me what the hell's goin' on here?" He demanded as he edged his way closer to the rest of his teammates. Something must have worried him to risk brining the Black Materia into the 'danger zone'.

"I'm not entirely sure, myself," Cait muttered from behind Cid.

Cloud gave a grunt and forced himself upright, one eye closed in pain and teeth gritted. He absently pushed away Tifa as he set his gaze on Barret, and began stumbling towards him. Something in Cid's mind recognized a case of 'lights on but nobody's home' in the young man's narrowed eyes. What the hell was happening to him? Scratch that, what had Sephiroth _done_ to him?

"Cloud, what the hell?" The pilot asked, stepping close and gripping his arm. He was given the same treatment as Tifa. Cloud didn't even look at him, he was focused entirely on Barret. Cid frowned at Tifa, who in turn offered a fearful look that worried him. The Shinra trio, he noticed, were watching on with a strange, curious expectation.

"Barret," Cloud rasped, approaching the gunman. "Where's the Black Materia?"

Barret lowered his weapon slightly. "It's safe," he assured him. "I've still got it."

Cloud held out a hand. "I'll take it," he said, his voice now level and controlled. "Give it to me."

"Cloud," Tifa called warningly.

Her tone caused Barret to hesitate, and he cast his eyes over everyone watching them. A glimmer of uncertainty crossed his features. He had no clue what he'd entered in to, but he could sense something wrong in the atmosphere.

"Barret. I'll take the Black Materia," Cloud said, gesturing with his outstretched hand.

Frowning, the dark man reached into his backpack and withdrew the orb slowly. He glanced at Cloud, deciding some internal decision before, just as slowly, placing it in the younger man's palm.

Cloud's fingers curled around it and he recoiled his hand to his body. His actions set off those instinctual alarm bells in Cid's head, but he wasn't sure he should do anything, he had no clue what Cloud was planning. The Shinra trio was no threat, they were outnumbered, so their main concern was their seriously troubled leader. What had happened inside his mind during the time in the white void? Could Sephiroth have continued messing with him even then? Or was he fighting Sephiroth's influence? Right now?

Cloud turned his back on Barret and made his way to the center of the cavern, in the middle of them all. The light bouncing around the chamber made his eyes shine brightly and his fair hair glow. He looked like he was struggling with himself for a moment before his brow smoothed and his stance relaxed. A second of silence reigned over them all.

Cid took the moment to glance at Vincent. He was still motionless, like an empty soldier waiting for input. His eyes were lifeless.

Cloud spoke, he was apologizing, but Cid wasn't fully listening. He moved over to Vincent, concern overriding any curiosity he had with Cloud's fucked up mannerisms. No one paid any attention to the pilot's movement.

"Hey," Cid called, frowning at the man's face. No response. The pilot gripped Vincent's arm above the gauntlet and squeezed. "Hey," he called again. "_Vincent_." Nothing.

Motion caught his attention from across the cave and he watched as Cloud approached Tifa. There was something different about him now, something had changed. As he spoke, his tone was no longer hesitant and confused. Now, he seemed surer of his words. Surer and regretful.

"You've been good to me, Tifa," he said softly. "I'm sorry I couldn't be the Cloud you knew…"

_Ooooh, that doesn't sound right…_

"Cloud, no…" Tifa moaned.

Hojo began laughing; a cold, cackling sound that echoed along the rocky walls. "This is perfect," he said, a cruel glee to his words. "My experiment was a complete success!" He reached out and grabbed Cloud, manhandling him roughly as he searched for something on the young man's arms. "What number are you? Where's your tattoo?" He regarded Cloud for a scrutinizing moment before pushing him away, disappointment etched into his features. "No… I remember you now. You were one of the failed." Hojo narrowed his eyes incredulously. "Only a _failure_ made it here?!"

Cloud stepped back listlessly, appearing almost ashamed of his so called status. Cid knew he had an identity crisis, that much was clear throughout their journey to this point, but no one, not even Cloud himself had known what he was. Broken as they were, things were now being thrown to light – but Cloud: A failed experiment? Just what _kind_ of experiment? Had he been altered like Vincent?

To everyone's further surprise or shock, a beam of light split down from the cave ceiling without warning, emitting a strange, metallic resonance as it pulsed for a moment, before narrowing to capture Cloud within its perimeter. He froze, prisoned in a moment of time. Speckles of dust glistened about his illuminated features, a look of apprehension settled in his aqua eyes. Slowly, in the center of the light, he began to rise into the air, drawn upwards to the source.

Cid gawked as his eyes followed Cloud's ascent, until he reached the high ceiling. At the roof of the cave was a mass of huge, twisting tree roots and tendrils, winding and converging to the center like earthen veins, old and knotted with too many years to guess. From the middle originated the light as it pulled Cloud to a halt. Cid vaguely heard the sound of his team calling out, but it was obvious Cloud couldn't hear them. He was no longer home.

"Who _is_ that?" Rufus' voice broke through Cid's stupor.

"A _Sephiroth clone_," came Hojo's emotionless reply. "Created after the real one died five years ago. If I recall correctly, he and another subject failed the experiments. However, my theory of the Jenova Reunion has been confirmed nonetheless…"

Cid tore his eyes away from the ceiling to settle on the Shinra bigwigs. They were all still staring up at Cloud. Did they not _think_ this was a _tad_ bit strange?!

"Even if Jenova's body was dismembered, it will gather into one place and become whole again. That is the Jenova Reunion. For five years I've waited for it to start. I thought the clones would gather at Midgar where the body was stored. But I was not entirely correct."

Cid stepped forward aggressively. "Why don't yer clam yer scientific _bullshit_ up yer ass and explain just what the _fuck_ is goin' on?" He gestured wildly to Cloud above them.

Hojo steadied his eyes on the pilot. "Aren't you _listening_?" He snapped, and lifted his gaze arrogantly to the ceiling. "As I was saying, being the genius that I am, I was able to determine a rather startling fact. You see, this is all Sephiroth's doing. He is not content to just diffuse his cells into the Lifestream, he wants to manipulate the clones himself."

Half of Cid wanted to charge forward and throttle the Shinra bastards, if not just for some physical course of action. The other half knew Hojo was enlightening them, revealing important facts that they really couldn't afford to miss. It was his smarmy, high-and-mighty way of speaking that crawled under Cid's skin and itched where it couldn't be scratched.

The entire cave was lost in a pulse of white that disappeared as quickly as it had come. Cid's eyes protested briefly before his vision returned. He glanced at his teammates, watching them blink rapidly to adjust. _What the fuck was that?_ He thought, baffled.

Without warning, the cave began to shake and rumble. Chunks of ice and small boulders started to fall from the tree roots, narrowly missing Cait Sith as his mog jumped away. Cid raised an arm to protect his face against debris, but he was unable to look away as something began descending from the very center of the huge roots above them, causing a large, rotten branch to snap from a main vein. It teetered precariously in some loose vines before tilting too far. The vines snapped and it plunged down.

With a leap of his heartbeat Cid realized where it would fall. He dived and slammed his weight into Vincent just in time to knock the man out of harm's way and onto the cold ground. The large branch crashed to the very spot the gunman had been stood, splintering under its own weight with a loud CRAAAHHCK. Cid rolled onto his elbows quickly, surveying the damage as the whole chamber seemed to fall around them. Red dashed to his side and nuzzled his shoulder, urging Cid to his feet as the others darted to the safety of the tunnel.

The pilot climbed to his knees as he turned on Vincent, who was slowly moving, disorientated. Cid grabbed his arm and hauled them both to their feet, keeping his grip as he pulled the tall man to the sheltered tunnel with Red at his heels. They turned back to the cave center and watched in trepidation as a huge, blue crystal plummeted fleetingly from above the roots into a cradle of vines and tree branches. Tifa gasped behind Cid as they all noticed.

In the center of the crystal was a figure.

"_Sephiroth!"_ Hojo exclaimed with the hushed tones of a scientist seeing gold.

Cid gaped. This wasn't the Sephiroth that had been zapping them to Nibelheim events. The man in the crystal was incomplete, as though he was gradually being rebuilt inside his cocoon of rock. There was nothing from his navel down save for an unnatural black aura, a shadow of forming cells. His hair had been preserved in mid-motion sway, framing his sleeping features in a strangely serene manner. Tree roots clung along the crystal, like they were arteries delivering life force. Creepy, slumbering half-a-man, preserved in crystal wrapped with tendrils.

… _Fuc-king aliens!_

_Rephrase: Fuc-king alien bastard-offspring!_

Safe from the falling debris, still captured by some invisible force, Cloud was slowly drawn towards the crystal. On his face was the same, empty expression that had haunted Vincent's eyes, although for a whole different reason…

"Cloud – _no!_" Tifa gasped.

They watched helplessly as Cloud pulled out the Black Materia from his pocket. It glistened in the beam of light as he extended his hand, a deceivingly small and harmless orb. He pushed the materia through the seemingly solid surface of the crystal, like it was nothing more than water, where it floated inertly for a second in front of the sleeping Sephiroth.

"This is perfect!" Hojo crackled madly across the cave. Shinra had taken shelter under an outcropping.

Cid stared at him like he'd grown another head. Barret beat him to a vocal outburst.

"Are you fucking _high_?!" He yelled. "Sephiroth's got the Black Materia! He'll summon Meteor! Everyone on the Planet will _die!_"

The rumbling that had died down suddenly soared in volume to a deafening din, and the ground beneath their feet began to shake, throwing off their balances. Tifa stumbled into Cid, who almost crushed poor Yuffie into the rough wall.

Above them, the Black Materia had started to emit arcs of energy, throwing out sparks of lightening that was shaking the very mountain. Broken ice began raining down again, and as the vibrations grew and grew the ceiling of roots cracked and broke, threatening to bring the entire lot on the humans below.

"Everyone out!" Barret yelled, grabbing Tifa before she could run to Cloud. He dragged her into the tunnel as the Shinra bigwigs hurried past them.

"Cloud!" Tifa cried.

Cid dodged a huge falling tree branch as he took one last look at the crumbling cave. Cloud was still hovering, still a prisoner to Sephiroth's will. Cid lost sight of him as half the ceiling collapsed, pelting him with sharp splinters, ice and rocks.

There was nothing he could do. Cid turned and ran, following the rapid bobbing of Red's fire-tipped tail down the falling tunnel.

Something inhuman roared from behind. Something _loud_ – something _huge_. Cid threw a fleeting look over his shoulder, hoping it was merely the sound of the cave falling in – but through the debris and raining stone something was tearing up through the rock in the chamber. It looked like the mountain was coming alive. _Fuck, fuck, fuck, what the fuck is that?!_

For one fearful moment Cid thought he was going to be crushed inside the mountain – there was no way they could escape the tunnels in time – they had travelled too far in. But as he followed Red's tail a beam of sunlight shone from ahead and with an extra burst of speed Cid dived out of the cave mouth, landing into a protective roll. He quickly looked up to see the tunnel cave in, kicking up dust and ice, spitting fragments at him. He covered his face, but the ground was still shaking, growing stronger.

"Cid, c'mon!" Yuffie's voice called to him.

He jumped to his feet and turned to find they had escaped onto a relatively flat terrain. And there, right before him, was his baby. The_ Highwind_. He realized it was their only escape. The mountain was being torn apart from within by whatever was fighting its way out. His team was already climbing the rope ladder to the airship; Yuffie was gesturing to him from the bottom.

Cid dashed to the ladder, scrambling up as the ground began to erupt. The_ Highwind_'s engines hummed as she began to rise, spurring Cid to climb faster. He paused almost to the balustrade, clutching the rungs tightly, icy wind whipping harshly at his face, and watched the mountain _explode_ as a colossal creature emerged from the devastated peak. It was so big it dwarfed the airship, and even as she pulled away Cid still couldn't comprehend its size.

The pilot clambered over the balustrade and onto the deck, joining his team. They watched as the creature rose into the air, its sheer size disturbing the atmosphere as it loomed to the heavens. It appeared to be half machine, draconian in design, arrayed with bio-mechanical features that increased its already intimidating appearance. Its shadow fell over the_ Highwind_ as it turned a pair of menacing, glowing red eyes on them. Behind it, light flared into the sky from the shattered mountain, as though a dormant Mako spring had sprung from the core. A stone of dread sunk into Cid's stomach; somehow he knew things were going to get _a lot_ worse.

The creature opened its gigantic maw, releasing a deep, throaty rumble that Cid felt vibrate through the air. He wouldn't be surprised if most of the North Continent heard (and felt) it. A huge circle of light in the giant's chest pulsed briefly, as though it had reacted to something, and for one second Cid thought it would unleash a bolt of energy and decimate them. They really wouldn't stand a chance if it did. Lucky, it didn't.

Massive rings of energy began manifesting around the monster. Cid could feel the static in the air tugging towards it. The_ Highwind_, which had been hovering in observation, engaged her engines, pulling away from a potentially bad scenario.

She wasn't fast enough, though. The creature, probably having deemed the airship insignificant, ignored her and rocketed away through the air, cuffing the rear engines as it went and sending the_ Highwind_ spiraling out of control.

Cid was thrown to the floor hard as the deck pitched violently back and forth. Tifa lost her balance and fell onto her back near him, and somewhere behind him out of his spinning range of vision Cait Sith was calling out in surprise. Barret crouched low, enforcing his balance as the ship leveled out and ceased rocking – but before they could collect themselves light burst through the air from the crater site and they watched from afar as several huge objects exploded from the dead mountain. Cid stared harder. No, not objects – _monsters_. Four similarly sized bio-mechanical creatures soared into the atmosphere, freed from a prison that had opened and released them. The sight was both spectacular and foreboding.

The_ Highwind_ coasted around, setting a course away. Vestiges of light spewed from the site as they drew further and further away, lighting up the dusk sky like a planetary firework display. Even as Shinra guards rounded up the disheveled Avalanche, they watched for as long as they could until they were roughly bound in cuffs and forced into the ship's interior. They weren't staring for the lightshow. They were staring at what was very likely the resting place of their leader and friend.

"Cloud…"

/

AN: Thanks for all the reviews, guys, it's nice to hear what you all think. I'll try and upload on a regular basis between 1 or 2 weeks. Also, I know there's a lot of minor inconsistencies in this fic, and plenty of typos, so I'll be going through all the previous chapters and updating them. I don't have a beta so it's easy for me to miss stupid mistakes. If I make any major changes I'll letcha know.

Ciao for now, thanks again.


	22. The Highwind

**Journey**

/

Everything was a blur of activity. Cid's ears were ringing, his head was pounding, and – he hadn't even noticed until now – his stitches had been ripped out and blood had poured from the wound on the back of his head. It had somewhat congealed but the gash was still open and stinging like hell. His whole body ached now the adrenaline was wearing off and he could feel every bump and bruise he'd sustained over the last _forever_.

The team was ushered through the ship, trudging along against a numb fatigue that had settled into their muscles. Everything seemed to catch up; the weight of the fighting, the weight of the situation, the weight of the loss…

Their guards were leading them through the passageways towards the lower decks. Cid eyed everything with a nostalgic longing. An ache plagued his chest as he walked, everything here he had built with his own two hands and he couldn't even take a second to greet it all properly. It had been too long since he'd stepped foot inside the_ Highwind_, too long since the Shinra had taken her away from him. She had been his mission for a large part of his life; from the spark of an engineering brainstorm, to the visual schematics on his drafting paper, all the way to the long, ambitious labor of her assembly. She was, in every sense of the word, his baby. He had conceived her design, planned her birth and nurtured her through 'teething' problems until she could perform without issues. But even then, she still had her quirks, her attitudes and her moods and he was the only one to understand them, to anticipate and placate her. When she had been taken away it had felt like losing a huge chunk of his soul. Shera sympathized, as a fellow engineer (and a Cid-savvy lady) she was the only one that truly understood his loss. Even when he had been a dick to her after losing _everything_ and not just his airship, she had continued to nurse his injured soul. He really did owe that woman an apology. Apologies were hard for Cid Highwind because he rarely gave them.

As they were marched down a short set of stairs he caught the eyes of a crewman and woman watching them, flicker over his face. The recognition in their features provided a miniscule twinge of comfort, knowing that even Shinra's new employees knew the face of the airship's namesake. Cid had only recognized two of his old crewmen since being brought onboard, but his attention was unfocused, so there could be more he hadn't seen. He had assumed Shinra had dismissed those that were loyal to Cid, but very few people from the academy knew how to operate the_ Highwind_, so it would have been foolish to get rid of her original crew. Cid had been crafty in that respect; he had trained only certain cadets to handle his baby (and damn if that didn't sound wrong).

It became apparent to Cid where they were being led when he registered the familiar route to the infirmary. The front guard touched two fingers to his helmet, communicating with whoever was on the other end, confirming where they were heading. Cid wondered why they were being sent for treatment, it seemed awfully considerate for Shinra, and it wasn't as if they were bleeding badly and broken. At most they had a few cuts between them all. If they wanted to treat someone they should dig back into the rubble of that mountain and find their friend.

They came to the doors of the infirmary and Cid stepped inside, eyes roaming around the new Shinra standard cots as more memories ignited. This had been his least visited room when he served as Captain. Not that Cid enjoyed pain from injuries, but, as he vaguely admitted to Vincent in The Lodge, he couldn't help associating treatment with weakness, and therefore avoided letting anyone but he patch himself up. It was like admitting he couldn't handle a little pain, or giving his trust in someone else to take care of his body. A big no-no.

There was a commotion behind, a loud ruckus, and one of the Shinra guards was thrown past him into one of the cots. Cid would have laughed at his less than graceful stumble, but that was the last thing he wanted to do right then. He turned around in time to see Vincent braced before the threshold of the door, glowering at the guards now gathered around him, weapons aimed even though he had his hands bound behind his back. The look on his face gave no doubt that he was _not_ stepping foot in the infirmary.

"Try anything else and you'll regret it," the lead guard threatened, gun raised.

"Now, now," came an oily voice from inside the room. Cid turned back. Hojo stepped forward, having been awaiting their arrival at the back of the room. (In his white lab coat he must have blended into the décor). His eyes were on the ex-Turk, gleaming with malicious intent. "I wouldn't threaten a man like Vincent, if I were you," he said tauntingly, addressing the guard. "He's not to be underestimated. I should know, I made him."

The undeniable clang of handcuffs hitting the metallic grating drew Cid's attention, and he looked across in time to see Vincent's claw flash in the bright lights of the infirmary. One second he was at the door, the next he was before Hojo in a blur of red, raising his talons in a certainly fatal strike.

Hojo barked something – that _word_. It fell awkwardly on Cid's ears, like listening to another dimension. He heard it clearly, but instantly he couldn't recall the phonetic syllables. It was almost as though his brain couldn't preserve them.

Vincent's downswing froze centimeters from Hojo's face – at the same time as two sharp, sudden gunshots ripped through his back, making Cid jump ("fuck!"), startled as blood sprayed across his face. Vincent arched from the impacts with a pained grunt and fell heavily to the floor. His eyes closed.

Avalanche was slightly shell shocked, or maybe a _lot_ shell shocked as they momentarily froze. The guards rushed through them to Hojo, pushing Cid away even as he started for Vincent.

"Sir, are you alright?"

Hojo was watching Vincent's prone form. "You fools…"

The edge in his voice caught Cid's frayed attention and he looked down. Something ethereal had materialized from the unconscious man, swirling around his form. His hair began fluttering, even though there was absolutely no wind in the infirmary, and the wisps of eerie color darted about agitatedly. Cid could only stare, lips parted.

"Hello again, Galian," Hojo whispered excitedly, bending down. Vincent's whole body seemed to glow, and the swirls were thickening; conspicuous signs of an imminent manifestation about to unfold. Hojo turned his gaze on the gawking audience, eyes sharpening. "Get out. _Now_."

Cid opened his mouth to hurl some manner of abusive demand, but he was grabbed by his bicep and roughly forced towards the door. "Wait a fuckin' minute!" He shouted, fighting against the guard. Another gripped his shoulders. "What about Vincent?! What the fuck is happenin' to him?! Get the fuck off'a' me!"

There was no chance for answers when a second later the butt of a gun slammed into his temple. Everything went dark.

/

Awareness wasn't very kind to him when he climbed his way towards it. His brain exploded with pain as his senses overwhelmed his tender process ability. He heard himself whine (in a manly way) and scrunched up his face in misery. The aches and pains had amplified and despite gaining an unknown amount of forced rest he still felt like shit.

"Cid?"

He cracked open an eye but immediately closed it against the harsh lights glaring down at him. He'd glimpsed enough info to safely roll himself to sitting on his cot before opening his eyes again, slowly. His upright position caused the sharp strumming pain in his head to increase and he hissed involuntarily, raising a hand to press uselessly at his temple.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" Came Yuffie's voice.

Cid looked over to the cot before his own where Yuffie was watching him, four digits held poised. They were back in the infirmary, but as his blue eyes traveled the faces of his teammates, he felt a ripple of trepidation when he saw who was missing.

"Where's Vincent?" He questioned, sobering up quickly. He slid off the cot, ignoring the pain. "What happened to him? What was goin' on with all that _swirly_ shit?"

Yuffie's gentle smile disappeared. "Hojo took him and Red away…"

Cid's eyes swept around again, feeling a tiny pang of guilt that he hadn't even noticed their four-legged friend gone, too. Tifa and Barret were sat together on the cot beside Yuffie's, watching him despondently. Cait hopped onto the sheets next to the girl and sat down, little legs in front, tail twitching behind. Their team was painfully incomplete.

"What was happenin' to Vincent?" Cid frowned hard, demanding an answer. "What'd Hojo done to him?"

The approaching of a man interrupted whatever response he was about to get. The guy was clearly the medic, judging by his blue, Shinra-standard scrubs. His brown hair was cropped short and he had warm crinkles around his eyes.

"Mr. Highwind?" He addressed. "It's an honor to finally meet you."

Cid barely glanced at him. "Whatever," he said dismissively, storming over to the entrance door. When it didn't open automatically he slammed a palm on the release button. The door remained shut.

"I'm afraid Shinra locked us all in," the medic said.

Cid spun on his heel and glared at them all. "Someone tell me what the fuck happened to Vincent? Didn't _anyone_ see before I got clocked?"

Barret shook his head. "We were shoved out the door, Cid. They freaking carried _you_ out and marched us down to the conference room. We didn't see what happened. They took Red away when they moved us back here."

Cid's hands balled into fists and he dug his fingernails into his palm. Hojo had experimented on both Vincent and Red, had he taken them to continue his work? For obvious reasons that greatly worried Cid; who would want their friends suffering unimaginable horrors at the hands of a crazy, genius scientist? But what really tightened his heart was the thought of Vincent strapped to some cold slab of a table, at the mercy of a looming, scalpel-loving madman. It sent his blood to ice, agitated his muscles and seized Cid with the need to bust out the infirmary and find him pronto. Throughout this entire mission Vincent had emitted nothing but strength and collectiveness (well, for the most part). To think of him subdued and vulnerable under Hojo's control was tearing at Cid's chest like no apprehension he had ever felt before. He couldn't remember ever having this feeling churning inside of him.

Cid collected his anger and his thoughts, with great mental restraint, and paused. "We're still airborne," he stated, feeling the tell-tale vibrations his teammates probably couldn't detect. "Anyone know where we're headin'?"

"Junon," Tifa answered.

The pilot gave a single acknowledging nod. He let his anger simmer away in the back of his mind as he took a moment to observe his lackluster friends. Tifa's eyes held none of the warm light he had met her with, and her cold was still thickening her voice. She seemed resigned, heavy with fatigue that wasn't all physical but undoubtedly very deep. Their misfortunes had piled on top of her one by one and she was suffering under the weight. First Aerith and now Cloud…

Could he really be gone? With all the supernatural manifestations in that cave, was it too far a stretch to assume Cloud might have survived? Might have been protected by those mystical powers Sephiroth was exhibiting? Cid had seen some things today that he would never have imagined, was it naïve to border the side of optimism because of that?

The throbbing in Cid's head was becoming sharper, pulsing with every heartbeat. He rolled his head experimentally and felt a new tugging at the back of his neck. Touching it he felt fresh stitches. This only reminded him again of Vincent, and the vague feeling in his chest seared across his lungs. Their best opportunity to retaliate was when they landed in Junon, when there was better chance for escape (because, quite obviously, there was nowhere to escape to in the air). It would be too ambitious to think of retaking the_ Highwind_ with so little of them against armed Shinra, but the thought still rolled over in his head, prodding him insistently. It practically hurt to think he would have to leave her behind, betray her to rescue his friends.

"Mr. Highwind, I know this is a tense situation for you all," the medic started. "But I've been assigned to make sure you're okay, so if you could let me check you over…"

Cid fixed his eyes on him and scowled. Personal wellbeing was far from his priorities right now, in fact, it was beyond his caring. "Listen, guy, I hope yer had a good feel while I was out cold 'cause there's no fuckin' way I'm lettin' a Shinra medic near my ass while I'm _awake_." His tone was rough and hostile, and hoarse from dehydration. "So if yer come near me, I'll plant my foot in yer face."

The medic held out his hands in a clear sign of surrender. "Understood. But, hey, I might be on Shinra's payroll, but that doesn't mean I agree with the company's actions." He lowered his hands, still watching Cid. "In fact, I've had the privilege of working alongside some of your original crew for the past two years. Let's just say they loath the new chain of command, and their loyalties lie only with the_ Highwind_. They all think your dismissal was the worst decision for the aeronautical department."

"That's 'cause it fuckin' was," Cid griped, narrowing his eyes in distaste at the memories.

The medic watched him. "I've had several years to hear nothing but high praise about you," he said, ignoring a sniff of wit from Barret. "You're a legend on this ship."

Ego-boosters never hurt anyone, and had the situation not been so dismal Cid might have soaked them up. But instead, what his brain gathered from the medic's words was how unhappy the crew of the_ Highwind_ was. His original staff had stayed to look after his baby? Yes, he believed that. His crew had been fiercely loyal to him, and thus to his ship (he had, after all, flayed anyone who didn't treat her with the same respect). As the first crew she ever had, she was technically their baby too, although obviously not in the same way. The ship's welfare was as important to them as their own. As a fellow airman, Cid knew this for a fact.

Cid ran some thoughts carefully through his mind and fixed the medic with an interrogative stare. "Are yer sayin' this crew is against Shinra?"

The medic gave an affirmed expression. "Despite being employees, yes, I would say we all are. Shinra doesn't care about the advancement of the aerospace division. They don't treat us like a respected section of the company. The_ Highwind_ and her crew are nothing more than transport lackeys for the President. And now his son, Rufus."

Cid's chest tightened with disappointment, anger, resentment and all manner of negative feelings. His baby had been designed to fly, yes, but to _explore_ the vastly uncharted expanse of the skies. She could go places no land vehicle could, no Chocobo could find, and no man could dream. Cid had seen things from the air that had, until then, been a secret from humanity. He had seen the Planet from a different angle and she was beautiful. If that couldn't be progressed for new generations then the future of humanity was going to be a miserable one.

"Shinra bastards," Cid spat, propping his hands agitatedly on his hips. He vaguely realized his gloves, goggles, scarf and jacket were gone, and then in horror at the absence of his cigarettes. No time to smoke, though.

Barret slid off his cot. "Wait, how many crewmen we talking about here?" He asked, catching on to the insinuation Cid and the medic had begun to broach upon.

"Twenty two," the medic answered. "Including myself.

Barret looked across to Cid, trying to gauge his train of thought. "You think... you think we can talk this crew into a mutiny?"

"Yeah, 'cause I've got a fuckin' million-gil company to pay them with," Cid rolled his eyes. He didn't know why he said it, because he knew his original crew was crazy enough to disregard any money aspect. Cid shook his head against his own comment. "No, yer know what? If I still know my old crew, they _would_ be mad enough to go against Shinra. But I can't know that about the others."

"I don't think you have much to worry about there," the medic smiled wryly. "Your appearance back on board the_ Highwind_ has uplifted everyone's spirits, even if you are, technically, a prisoner."

"Who'd have thought people would admire _you_?" Yuffie teased rhetorically.

"Learn from it, brat," Cid shot back.

"I shouldn't really be encouraging this," Cait Sith said from beside the young ninja. "But the_ Highwind_ would be much better under your command, Cid. I honestly don't think it'll take much effort to convince this crew to switch alliances."

"Actually, it won't be much of a switch," the medic said. "I know many of the crew believed you would return to captain your ship again someday."

"Ain't this touching," Barret mumbled. "How do we go about this? We'll be in Junon soon, and I'm pretty sure we won't be spending our stay in here. We're confined to the infirmary until we land."

At this Cid let a smug sneer pull at his lips. "We're on _my_ ship. Yer think I don't know how to crack the very locks I installed?"

Avalanche looked impressed, and the medic positively beamed.

/

They concocted a plan before they craftily snuck out, thankful that Shinra guards hadn't even been posted outside the infirmary. Perhaps they thought that locks alone would be enough security. Cid scoffed.

The medic, Thomas, remained at his post under Cid's orders (it felt good to be giving orders again). He had revealed a crew communicator (or as he dubbed it, a crewmunicator) while they had been plotting, and had passed coded messages back and forth between one of Cid's original crewmates, Berto. He had been expecting something like this since Cid had been brought onboard, so there was no question as to where his loyalty stood. Berto would ensure the allegiance of the remaining _Highwind_ crew and was more than willing to steal the ship from right under Shinra's nose. It looked like their extremely crappy luck was turning a corner, but Avalanche still couldn't help the thought something was bound to go wrong.

As they crept along the corridor away from the infirmary, ears straining for approaching guards, Cid felt both a thrill and a stab of indignity clash inside him. He was sneaking about on his own goddamn ship, _but_, he was sneaking under Shinra's noses with the satisfaction that they were oblivious; the latter offset the former.

At the junction they came to they checked carefully for obstruction before Cid turned to Barret, Tifa and Yuffie, hugging the wall as though it would make them invisible.

"Follow that corridor until yer reach a staircase," he told them, jerking his head to indicate. "Go down and yer'll find yerselves on the confinement deck. I'm bettin' that's where Hojo took Vincent and Red. I doubt he'll have security, but good luck anyway. Cait, yer with me; we've got a fake fire alarm to set up."

They nodded their comprehension and split up, taking different directions at the junction. Thomas had estimated they were about twenty minutes from Junon, judging from the time they departed from the crater. Their plan had to be carried out as the airship was docking. Shinra would evacuate quickly in the event of a fire warning, but the_ Highwind_'s crew would know better. However, Red and Vincent were the spanner in the works, as it were. If they weren't in the confinement cells with Hojo, and he carted them off during the fire alarm, they would lose them. The_ Highwind_ had to flee immediately to escape.

Cait trailed Cid's heels as the pilot shadowed the walls of the corridor, peeking around every corner. He had to wait at one junction for a couple of guards to pass out of hearing and vision range before taking off quietly in the opposite direction. Luckily, they were the only threat the two encountered.

The system control room was a small cabin, occupied by one woman in the crew uniform. Her name was Jo. She had been part of Cid's original crew, and a very competent technician. When she caught sight of him her face split into a smile and she saluted.

"It's good to have you back onboard the_ Highwind_, Sir," she said.

"I didn't think anyone manned this station," he frowned.

"They don't, usually," she replied. "But Berto thought you could use a lookout who wouldn't cause suspicion."

Cid grinned. Good ol' Berto.

With Jo providing a lookout in the corridor outside the system controls room, Cid cracked into the computer for the environmental controls, clicking and typing away for a few minutes while Cait Sith shifted about by his feet, tail twitching.

"Will this take long, Cid?" He asked, glancing at the door as though someone would catch them.

Cid's eyes followed his work on the screen. "A minute or so," he said distractedly. He reached the command field and quickly typed in the necessary protocol for a ship-wide fire alarm. The CO2 distinguishers would go off a minute after the_ Highwind_ set down, and if that didn't light the fire under their asses (metaphorical of course) then Cid would resort to seeking out some expendable circuitry and _making_ a damn fire.

At that moment the tannoy system came to life above them, and a male voice announced the_ Highwind_ would be setting down in Junon airport in approximately ten minutes. All land bound personnel were to prepare for departure, and Avalanche were to be 'escorted' off.

"Cid," Cait uttered, looking up at the speaker grate.

"Fire alarms'll be goin' off after she sets down," Cid said, exiting the controls. He stepped to the door and peered out. Jo glanced at him, still watchful.

"We gotta get back," he told her. "If those Shinra rejects find out we're gone this'll be fuckin' pointless."

"Good luck, Captain," she said as he and Cait hurried past to the corridor junction, pressed against the wall.

They arrived back at the infirmary after several near misses. Guards were more active now the ship was nearing her destination, and Cid almost stepped into the direct path of a helmeted infantryman as he was leaving a door right before them. Cait proved a good scout, and it was with his leading efforts they made it back unseen.

As Cid fiddled with the locking mechanism for the infirmary door (reinstating the lock to activate when it closed behind them), the fine vibrations of the airborne ship changed their tune and he knew she was easing to a slow approach. They were almost at Junon.

The door opened and they quickly stepped in. Thomas turned to them, eyebrows raised in hopeful expectation.

"Did you manage it?" He asked.

"Yeah," Cid answered, casting his gaze around. Thomas was alone. "Shit, those three better get back quickly."

"I hope they found them," Cait mumbled fretfully, tail twitching, hands wringing.

The sounds of footsteps approaching and fading increased as personnel passed the infirmary. Cid expected the door to open every time and guards to filter in, but minutes went by with no such entrance. Barret, Tifa and Yuffie were taking too long.

Finally the tell-tale quiver of the ship's structure announced her decent, and a mere seven seconds later she jolted softly. They had touched down.

"That's it," Cid stated firmly, making his way to the door. "I'm gonna find them. Somethin' must'a' gone wrong."

Before he could reach the door, though, it swooshed open and in stepped two armed guards, weapons immediately pointed at the pilot. The door shut behind them.

"We're taking you to –" The front guard stopped. His helmet inclined, no doubt looking at the lack of prisoners of the room behind Cid. "Hey, where're the others?" He demanded.

Cid didn't bother with an answer. With a lightning-fast swipe, he whipped the gun from the man's hands, thankful he had been so close, and raised it to the second guard, stepping back carefully. Despite his quick actions, the other gun was trained on his movements, a reaction of quick reflexes.

"Drop the gun," Cid ordered.

"Not gonna happen," the guard, an older man by the sounds of it, told him lowly.

"Hyah!"

The armed infantryman's head snapped to the incoming cat flying at him from the nearest cot. He stumbled back, surprised, drawing his gun to the offending attacker but Cait's landing weight pushed him into the wall, and it was all the distraction Cid needed to swing the butt of his weapon to the man's chin, resulting in a solid THWOCK as it connected.

The unarmed guard leapt on him from behind, slamming him against the wall, pinning the weapon between it and his body. Cid thrust his right elbow back and jabbed him in the stomach, winding him. His strength faltered, providing Cid with the opportunity to push backwards. The guard stumbled back, almost losing his balance, but by the time he had regained it, Cid had turned around and in the next second planted a powerful front kick to the guard's mid-section. He went straight down onto his backside, momentarily stunned. The pilot grabbed his helmet and wrenched it off, exposing the face of a man only a couple of years younger than himself. With a good right hook, the guard was down for the count.

"Good job they're in the infirmary," Thomas commented somewhere behind.

Cid looked down at Cait. "Ain't that against yer company rules? Attacking yer own guards?"

The small cat looked up at him. "I'm unique," he said simply.

Cid couldn't argue.

It was at that second the shrill, piercing wails of the fire alarm split the air and clouds of CO2 billowed from the floor and ceiling grates.

"Captain, you can't go out there now!" Thomas shouted across the room, nearing as he did. "You'll be seen for sure!"

Cid bared his teeth in anger and frustration. He looked at the helmet in his hand as the cool CO2 gathered about and an idea popped into his head. He shoved the helmet over his head, allowing only a tiny thought of triumph that it fit. He then proceeded to strip the guard at his feet of his Shinra uniform while yelling his plan to Cait and Thomas. They quickly helped, and a minute later Cid fastened the last belt of the gun holster around his thigh and grabbed the weapon from the cot he had placed it on, fully disguised as a Shinra guard.

He didn't hear what Thomas tried to shout to him as he rushed out of the infirmary into the cloudy corridor and rushing Shinra personnel. Seeing through the helmet was a different experience, and he could complain a thousand times over how annoyingly itchy the uniform was, but they were minor irritants in the back of his mind as he merged into a line of guards. He tried to pick up what they were saying over the racket of the alarms, but it was difficult. The mention of President Shinra and Heidigger managed to float above the din, but nothing of Barret, Tifa and Yuffie.

He broke from the line and headed straight to the confinement cells, hoping that with any luck they had found Red and Vincent and were having trouble trying to mobilize them (because, obviously, Cid would assume Vincent would still be out cold. He did get shot…)

He raced down to the lower deck, encountering no one on the way. When he entered the cell block he quickly checked each one only to find them all empty. _Damnit._

Feeling the urgency now, the pilot took the steps back up two at a time and headed towards the outta deck, where everyone else had been rushing to. The airship was running out of Shinra troops, and while the plan _was_ to get them all off, any remaining would stall the mutiny mission, and Cid needed a few extra precious minutes to find his missing friends.

He burst through a junction hatch, only to collide with someone who emerged from the cloudy CO2, charging through from the other side. They were both repelled onto their backsides. A painful jolt ran up Cid's spine.

"Fuckity fuck! That hurt!" He cursed.

"Cid?"

He looked up to find Yuffie climbing to her feet, eyeing his disguise with a knitted brow.

"Yeah, it's me," He snarled, as though she should have known. He got up, rubbing his ass. "Where the _hell_ have you been? Yer should'a' been back in the infir – "

"No time to chew my ass," Yuffie interrupted at a shout, grabbing the arm of his uniform and dragging him the way she had come from. "Tifa and Barret got caught while we were trying to get back. I managed to hang back and hide, but I couldn't get to you before now."

They hurried down the corridor, towards the exit to the outta deck. Along the way Cid grabbed her shoulder, at least keeping appearances non-suspicious to the last Shinra stragglers rushing to the exit. They were forced to leave the interior with two other guards, who broke away.

On the deck were several grouped soldiers and guards, some of which were waiting to descend the rope ladder to the airport ground. And there, across the way being forced to climb the balustrade, were Tifa and Barret.

Cid stormed his way over, assured with the noise and chaos on the deck that no one would have any reason to stop him, especially with Yuffie clutched in one hand. Shouting for the guards escorting them to stop probably wasn't the best idea without some form of disguised voice. It was as he was passing some guards on his left that a hand shot out and gripped his arm tightly. A well-manicured, female hand.

"_Highwind?"_ Scarlet questioned incredulously.

_Curse my damn accent!_ Cid paused. "No?" He said, trying to mimic the guards.

Scarlet's eyes glanced across to Tifa and Barret, who had stopped at Cid's calls. He could see her putting two and two together. _Shit…_

He wrenched his arm from the devil-woman's grip, simultaneously letting go of Yuffie as he bowled into the group and pushed them over the balustrade on his left. They all cried out as they fell, but the fall was short. They'd survive. Probably.

Tifa and Barret swung into action. With fewer guards on the deck they had a better chance. Their 'escorts' were disarmed within seconds thanks to Tifa's quick moves, and Barret literally picked them up and threw them overboard, quickly following Tifa across the deck towards Cid, who had found himself the center attention of the remaining guards.

To Cid's surprise, the_ Highwind_ engines began whirring as they reengaged. There were no more Shinra personnel onboard; the crew had taken their cue.

He wasn't the only one distracted. Surprised by the airship's unexpected activity, the guards hesitated, looking up as though there was a sign that would explain. Cid rammed his weapon into the side of the closest guard's helmet. They stumbled back into two more – one of which had his finger on his trigger. The bullets crackled from the weapon as the guard flailed and fell, hitting the outta hull above their heads. A loud, metallic wrenching sound screamed over the alarms and Cid looked up in time to see a part of the ship – _his_ ship – plummet towards them. He dove out the way, but the fragments falling after it rained on the deck, showering them all with sharp parts.

"Captain!" Someone yelled from the entrance hatch.

Cid vaguely registered the dark red stain spreading along his left bicep as he snapped his gaze across to his friends. Yuffie had landed beside him, and half of the guards had been knocked stupid. But in the mayhem, Barret had thrown himself to his belly by the edge under the balustrade, clutching something.

No, not something. Some_one_. Tifa dangled limply from his hand, a vivid slash of red blood clashed against her pale features.

Cid made towards them, half aware the ship was beginning to rise, alarms still wailing, but someone grabbed his arm, pulling him back to the entrance as another hand yanked Yuffie out of view. He struggled against it, unable to tear his eyes from Barret as the Shinra Guards stumbled towards the rope ladder, obscuring his view.

Another metal screeching tore through the air and Cid was jerked across the threshold as slats of metal fell clattering. He shielded his eyes as sharp debris flew everywhere. When he looked up again the Shinra guards had gone overboard.

Along with Tifa and Barret.

/

AN: Just got this in for my 2 week deadline, booyah. I'm currently away for a hiking break so I didn't get much time to work on it as I would have done. I also got one of my best mates, Lisa, to proof read, lucky she's here with me, lol. Anyway, enjoy. Thanks for reading y'all.


	23. Repairs

**Journey**

/

By the time Cid stormed into the bridge, the_ Highwind_ had already put several miles between her and Junon, the crew eager to distance themselves from the undoubtedly enraged President. They had wrung as much speed as they dared from her injured vessel, despite damage alarms now replacing the silenced fire ones, screaming protest at them all.

The airship decreased speed as Cid stepped through the door. He glanced briefly at the view from the observation glass, barely registering the blue lagoon they were approaching. Yuffie was fast on his heel, as was an unknown crewman, blathering about the pilot's injured arm. It stung like hell, but he couldn't spare it attention right then.

Despite his thunderous expression, he was greeted to a disciplined saluting from the entire bridge crew, and a hearty, genuine chorus of "Welcome back, Captain!" (Practically shouted at him over the noise of the alarms). He hesitated for a moment, his anger ebbing as he realized that the_ Highwind_ was finally _his_ again. He was back where he belonged. A little flare of elation rose above the diminishing ire, but it was short lived.

Cid turned to the crewman at the external sensors workstation. "Did anythin' follow us?" Shinra may have relied on the_ Highwind_ for primary transport, but there was always a helicopter at Junon for the President's local convenience, and those damned Turks weren't half bad pilots. If they were about, they would have pursued.

"No, Captain," the young man responded loudly. He reminded Cid of a brown-haired Cloud, without the gravity-defying spikes.

Cid wheeled around to the woman at the helm. "Can she take us further?"

The woman shook her hair, ponytail swaying. "I'm afraid not, Captain. The weapons fire tore through the hull and damaged a main circuit line. Possibly more. I don't think we can risk it."

Cid swore loudly, grinding his teeth in anger. Not only did those bastards fuck up his airship – _which_ he'd only just stolen back – but they had left Cloud buried under a mountain, arrested his friends and were doing who-knew-what to Red and Vincent. Not only that, but they sure as hell deserved the blame for unleashing Sephiroth on the Planet; if it weren't for them and their fuckery that madman would never have been born with alien power. But, if not for all of that, Cid would never have met his new rag-tag team of weirdoes.

Shaking off his thoughts, Cid rolled up the sleeves of the Shinra uniform he was still wearing. He'd tossed the helmet aside on his way to the bridge, and now his hair was all askew and tickling his forehead, but he ignored it and announced to the crew – _his_ crew – that their first priority was to assess the damage on his ship. And to shut off the damn alarms.

The latter took all of one minute. Silence was a blessing on his ringing ears as Cid relented against the itchy uniform and all but tore it off. Now everyone could hear everyone else, he finally turned to Yuffie, who had evidently been waiting for him to finish his task.

"Did yer find them?" He asked, down to business as he turned from the workstation. "Before the fire alarm went off?"

She nodded, adopting a solemn expression. "They were where you said they'd be, but as we went down guards were coming up _and_ from behind. Tifa pushed me into an alcove, that's how I escaped."

Cid smiled grimly, mentally cursing everything from the sun to the moon for their bad luck. "I take it Vince and Red were incapacitated."

The young girl bobbed her head again. "Hojo had them strapped to a gurney thing each." She shuddered. "Red had tubes and stuff attached to him, I don't even wanna _think_ what that psycho is gonna do to them."

Cait Sith toddled into view from behind her. "Red was freed from captivity before Hojo could conduct all of his experiments on him," the cat explained, his grave tone compensating for the lack of facial expressions he was unable to show. "He'll most likely be picking up where he left off. As for Vincent, well… Hojo's got nearly thirty years' worth of new medical science to put to use…"

"Shit," Cid swore under his breath, running a hand through his hair. He didn't want that to happen. Every fiber of his being urged him _not_ to let that happen. To have no control over the matter was a form of torture of its own. It felt surreal to look back several days ago and recall them as a whole group, talking, laughing, and sharing rations, under the crazy impression that they could somehow stop Sephiroth. They were always aware of the danger they were pursuing, but even so, the loss of one friend and then another was a painful slap in the face, reminding the group that they were mere mortals chasing something that wasn't.

"Cid," Yuffie's voice drew him from his thoughts. "What're we gonna do?"

Cid propped his hands on his hips and looked at her. She was only a teenager, already tangled up in a one way ticket to inevitable destruction, and yet she remained strong despite the dangers they faced. However their situation was a little out of her strategy depth; she may be a proficient thief, but a high-stakes rescue added just a tad more pressure and required a touch more planning than what she was used to. Her face was currently an open book, staring expectantly at him for a solution to their current predicament. She wanted a course of action right now, just as he did.

"What we're gonna do," Cid started, turning away from her and towards the exit, "is fix my damn ship."

Yuffie was on his heels as they stepped out into the corridor and began walking. "What?" She asked, her pitch high in disbelief. "Your ship? What about the others? We need to rescue them, Cid!"

"How do yer propose we do that?" He responded, a lilt of derision in his tone. "We've got no advantage, no plan, no fuckin' _clue_ where they've taken the others, and until I get my baby in the air, we've got no getaway vehicle, either." He turned a corner, passing a crewman walking. "We can't do jack shit for the time being, so shut yer yap and help with repairs."

"You say it like it doesn't bother you our team's been pulled apart," Yuffie said. Her pout was evident through her words.

Cid ignored her. He felt the exact opposite, but he had no desire to convince her. He was eager to get started on repairs, not only so they could actually go and save their team, but to distract him. A vicious array of images were cycling through his head of a white, sterile room, needles and tubes, and Hojo leaning over Vincent on a cold slab with a scalpel in his hand. Try as he might, Cid couldn't purge them from his head, so his solution was to bury them under the work of repairing his ship. But first…

He stepped up to the door of the infirmary and entered, already shedding his stolen uniform. Thomas seemed surprised to see them both, but as Cid reached for his gloves, goggles and everything else he'd been stripped of (most importantly, his cigarettes), he noticed the injury on the pilot's shoulder. Though, try as he might, Cid refused to let him treat it, and he left the infirmary as quickly as he could, slinging his jacket around his waist and tying it off as he went. Yuffie remained with the medic, watching his exit.

Cid quickly set about the task of repairs. It was a welcome distraction, but throughout the process of assessing the extent of damage and gathering the people and tools to fix it, there was the insistent and persistent concern in the back of his mind. He hated it; he hated the fact that he couldn't even immerse himself in his work without his subconscious bothering him with the pointless burden of worry.

However, aside from the assessment of his ship, Cid did manage to learn the names of the crew he was unfamiliar with. He managed to reminisce briefly with a couple of his original men and women, and heard a few tales that they had to tell. But he listened with half a heart and one ear, unable to lend his entire attention; it was just too dispersed.

Yuffie found him some hours later, with Cait Sith on her shoulder. She'd brought with her a plastic container of food.

"The galley dude told me to shove this in your face," she said, almost literally doing just that.

Cid caught the container and registered the familiar, long-missed scent of an old favorite. Omar, the cook, had slapped together an easy but loved pasta mix for Cid, which he always coated in a creamy sauce of his own making (but never revealed just what was in it).

"That sonuvabitch," Cid grinned fondly, holding his hand out for the fork Yuffie still had ahold of. He dug in hungrily, unaware he had been running on empty.

"How's it looking?" Yuffie asked regarding the damage. She raised her eyes to the sparks flying from the power tools one of the crew was wielding on the hull above. The sun was bright, forcing her to squint.

"Bad," Cid answered with a mouthful, caring little for manners. He swallowed. "For the sake of yer simple, non-technical mind, she got fucked pretty bad. There ain't no way she'll be flyin' for a few days. Bullets tore up internal structures and important lines, and we're lackin' the big tools that'd make the job go faster."

Yuffie's face fell visibly. "We're stuck here for a few _days_? What about the others?"

Cid finished the last of his meal. "The faster I get my ship fixed, the faster we can rescue 'em. You can either chip in or shut up."

"He's right, lassie," Cait said, turning his button nose to her. "We need this airship to rescue everyone, especially Red and Vincent. Without it, we won't be able to help anyone. It's our only chance of escape."

She knew this, but she didn't have to like it. She opted to keep herself busy and aid the repairs, so Cid instructed one of his crew to set her a job. When they disappeared he was almost disappointed for the loss of distraction she provided, because now he _really_ couldn't concentrate on his task at hand. An ember of desperation had been lit by Yuffie's consternation, and it began to curl and grow steadily as the day went on…

/

Cid came to from the pillow of his arm, slumped at a workstation in the main engineering room. Someone had patted him on the back to rouse him, but he missed their distorted vocals as his garbled senses lagged behind in the depths of grogginess. His back ached and his neck was sore where his stitches tugged his skin, but these were the lesser concerns. A quick flare of trepidation grew behind his sternum as he realized it was the next morning. His captured teammates had been in enemy hands for nearly a day, and he dreaded to think just what could happen in those hours. Specifically, what Hojo could do with that time.

It was during the walk to the galley that Cid realized just how _much_ he regarded Avalanche as his friends. Sure, it was easy to say he was worried and he thought about other people, but to actually feel those emotions was uncommon in Cid's life. There was Shera, yes, despite his attitude towards her it wasn't hard to admit he would feel concern for her should something happen. But aside from a couple of close friends in Rocket Town, he'd had no one to experience these things for. Now, however, they seemed to trouble him with a vengeance, as if making up for the years they were absent. And he would be a fool to convince himself that the majority of anxiety didn't stem from the knowledge that Vincent was under Hojo's power.

It was true Cid had formed a more profound bond with the gunman than any of the others had, and for some reason that did something pleasant to his chest, but as much as he wanted to deny it there was a spark of protectiveness gnawing at him. Vincent was, by far, one of the strangest and strongest people Cid had met; yet he was plagued by a pointless urge to protect the man from the things that could cause him pain. Silly, considering Vincent was far more capable of accomplishing that than Cid was, but he couldn't quell this feeling no matter how he tried to rationalize his emotions. Having never met anyone even remotely like Vincent, the pilot could convince himself these were consequential feelings towards a human who had gone through the same shit as Vincent. Maybe the other members of the team felt the same, to a degree. They had, after all, known about the gunman's torture before Cid, and, considering what Tifa had mentioned all those days ago in the mansion on the moors, they had seen _something_ that warranted both caginess and pity towards him. There were still things Cid didn't know that he was sure the others did, but he won't ask. He won't pry. Even if he _was_ damned curious now, he had no right (although, truthfully, that hadn't always stopped him in the past. But this was different: He respected Vincent's traumatic history).

He wondered, suddenly, just how it made the gunman feel to have been so close to ending Hojo's life. Cid couldn't even begin to comprehend the deep set hatred that had flashed behind Vincent's eyes back in the cave. It must have been beyond frustrating to have missed his chance, only to fall back under Hojo's control. For a man who underwent such an extreme ordeal, Vincent seemed remarkably calm in his behavior and mindset throughout this journey – yet, how would he fair through a second nightmare? Would this one break him?

Cid rubbed his sternum where it ached. Just thinking about Vincent undergoing more experiments hurt like a bitch. Fuck these feelings, he wasn't used to them.

He spent the next half hour feeling like shit, having depressed himself and then scolding his own mind for the nerve to wallow in his own gloom – when quite obviously he had been one of the few _lucky_ Avalanche members. His work was providing only a half-effective distraction from his thoughts.

/

He called a senior crew meeting shortly after. Split into teams, each one was assigned a specific job. Cid liked organization when it came to the welfare of his ship, and he was damn sure going to shape the crew into an efficient workforce and ensure the_ Highwind_ was properly repaired. They lacked the muscle tools and spare components to speed up the work. Had this happened when Cid was not a fugitive, he would have enlisted more hands and had the full access of a hanger to aid him. It would have cut the time in half.

When his crew filed out of the conference room (with Cid lobbing offending Shinra documents in scrunched balls after them, just because he didn't want them in his sight anymore), he instructed Yuffie and Cait to hang back. When the doors closed he stood from his perch on the large mahogany desk and paced.

"Right," he began. "It'd be tactically wise to gain an overview of the situation in Junon while we sit here, immobile. We need to know the location of our people, and the obstacles in our way of 'em."

"Alright, something _I_ can do!" Yuffie exclaimed in relief, balling a fist of purpose.

Cid stopped pacing and crossed his arms. "Actually, our _inside_ man can help us with that." He turned his blue eyes meaningfully on Cait.

He had been expecting refusal to help, or at the least a hesitation. But Cait gave an energetic jump atop his mog and said, "I'm already on it."

Cid masterfully held back his surprise. "Good. We need to know where Hojo's holdin' Red and Vincent, what security he's got, a layout of their location and if possible the state of their conditions. It's pretty likely we'll be carryin' them out. Same for Tifa and Barret."

"What can I do then?" Yuffie asked, an inflexion of disappointment in her voice.

Cid switched his gaze to hers. "We need materials for some of the repairs. I checked the ship's inventory – I don't know what the fuck Shinra thought 'inventory' meant, but there's nothin' of much help in there. I'll make a list, you take it to a workshop in Junon. They know me, they'll just stick the materials on Shinra's tab."

Yuffie's eyebrows reached for her hairline. "Are these gonna be, like, _sheets_ of metal? How the heck am I supposed to cart airship parts through Junon – _without_ being noticed?"

"That's where I'm hopin' Cait can help again."

The little cat tilted his head thoughtfully. "I'm sure I can arrange something. I have a certain amount of influence over Shinra guards, and senior authority to authorize the use of vehicles."

Yuffie eyed him. "Are you ever going to tell us who you are?"

"You don't really _need_ to know," he replied matter-of-factly.

Yuffie raised an eyebrow at Cid.

With their plans established, they set to work. Cid drew up a list of materials they needed to complete repairs on the_ Highwind_. He told her to hand this to a woman named Tinni, as he'd added specs that Yuffie wouldn't have been able to repeat for her life. Tinni would sort everything out.

With her list, the only concern of Yuffie's was getting in and out of Junon. Her image would probably be plastered on Shinra's 'wanted' board by now, which meant she required a disguise. There was nothing onboard the airship that would suffice. She would have to swipe something from the outskirts of Junon, a task she was more than capable of. Cid provided her with directions and showed her how to navigate one of the_ Highwind_'s four lifeboats. They were small, short-terrain air vehicles with enough mako fuel to travel several hours. Once he was sure she knew how to work the controls, Cid saw her off, watching as the lifeboat drew further and further away until it disappeared behind the cliff rock of the lagoon. It would take her around an hour to reach Junon.

He was confident she would not be detected, by either eye or sensors. He had personally installed scramblers onboard the lifeboats and the_ Highwind_ when he'd built them, ensuring they remained invisible on any sensors sweeping the vicinity. Shinra hadn't removed them, and Cid hoped that with any luck they had simply never discovered them.

Unfortunately, one of the main circuitry lines that was hit in the gunfire provided power to the_ Highwind_'s scramblers, leaving her without sensory protection. She would be easy to find if anyone cared to come looking.

It was with that morbid thought that Cid turned from the view of the lagoon and set off to reroute power temporarily, so at least they could work without the fear of detection.

/

He kept in constant communication with Cait during Yuffie's absence, instructing him to inform Cid of any and all updates or problems they encountered. Cait's controller was providing Yuffie with transport, and craftily assigning Shinra guards to different posts from his unknown location. Was he already in Junon? Had he been aboard the_ Highwind_ when Avalanche had been captured? Cid wanted to know, but now was not the time.

Cait Sith's controller was also undergoing his own tasks. When he wasn't updating Cid, he was silent. His human self was locating the missing team members.

Thankfully, Tifa and Barret were quick to find. Their detainment was not classified info, and Shinra were pending their punishment. They were being held in the medical wing of the Junon Shinra quarters. Barret was fine, but Tifa had suffered a blow to the head during the chaos yesterday, and was being treated for a nasty concussion. She was apparently still unconscious.

Red and Vincent's location remained unknown. For now. Cid told Cait to concentrate on getting their little ninja safely in and out of Junon. They would worry about their lost duo later.

Cid hadn't realized he'd been waiting with baited breath until Yuffie's feet were back on the airship several hours later. It had been risky sending her into the enemy's territory, but they'd had little other options. Cait Sith couldn't disguise himself, and as far as Cid knew, his loyalties were still tied to Shinra despite all he'd done to help Avalanche. He was the unsure link in their group that the pilot had been ignoring – and was continuing to do so. He had a feeling it might be foolish, but Shinra still had their hands on Barret's daughter.

"What the hell, did yer steal from an _old lady_?" Cid asked, picking at her overlarge, worn, hooded shawl.

Yuffie twisted her shoulder from his grip. "I took what I could," she said defiantly. "And it worked. I got you your materials."

"Yeah, yeah, good work. Whaddya want, a medal?" Cid moved past her to the docked lifeboat full of his listed items. He heard Yuffie huff behind him and leave in a rustle of old clothes. He had to admit, he was impressed with her job; Cait had reported no roused suspicion during her time in Junon, and for her to walk around with her head curiously covered bought the risk of a few second glances. But no, she had done it, and they had the materials to finish repairs. It was now only a matter of time before they could launch a rescue.

With the help of a few crewmembers, Cid hauled the new items to the outer deck, and had literally just set them down when his stomach growled. He hadn't eaten since yesterday, but he didn't want to stop now. Unfortunately, Genny heard his digestive moan and urged him (with damn logic, no less) to go and eat. A hungry Captain is a weak Captain, and they can't afford to spare time when he faints of exhaustion. He wasn't quite _that_ hungry, but she pushed and pushed, and honestly, he left just to shut her up.

Omar was disappointed Cid hadn't eaten anything all day. He ignored the pilot's request of a take-away snack and cooked him a full blown meal. Yuffie appeared almost as soon as the food hit the wok, enticed by the sound and smell of food. During their meal, Cid prompted her for details on Junon.

"The guards were pretty much only stationed in main areas," she answered with a mouthful of noodles and vegetables. "I did see some patrolling the smaller streets, but they were easy to avoid. The tricky thing is avoiding the surveillance cameras."

"Cameras?" Cid repeated.

"Yeah. They were mounted on the buildings, pretty much everywhere."

"Great…" Cid stuffed a forkful of food into his mouth and chewed mechanically.

Cait skipped into the room without his mog. Cid always found his movements whimsical and child-like. His creator must be one oddball. Like that narrowed it down…

"No luck finding the reds, yet," the cat said, hefting himself onto the table between them both. "I'm checking the transport logs in case Hojo's taken them out of the city. If he has, it'll be even harder getting ahold of them…"

"More good news," Cid grumbled, frowning gruffly at his utensil. The ache in his chest flared up again, reminding him that the longer Red and Vincent were captive, the more damage Hojo could do to them. Both physically and mentally.

He managed to polish off his meal before his appetite decided to leave him, and left his two teammates in the galley as he went back to the outer deck. Along his walk through the corridors his mind began throwing disturbing images at him – and again, they were all of Vincent.

The sun had sunk when he stepped outside, revealing a deep blue blanket of clear sky. The crew that had been working up on the hull had disappeared inside. Stars twinkled and the ocean below washed gently onto the beach, providing a calming ambience. Cid loved the combination of night and waves, but it did little to ease his mind. The silence was disrupted when someone stepped out behind him.

"You forgot your phone," Yuffie said. "You don't have _any_ photos in here at all."

Cid turned and frowned disapprovingly. "Yer nosy brat, don't go lookin' in other people's phones." He snatched it from her and shoved it in his pocket.

"Don't go leaving it," she retorted, fixing him with a sassy stare. He narrowed his eyes, not amused. She rolled hers and turned to leave. "Left your sense of humor with your broken plane, huh…?"

Cid turned back to the view, ignoring her. Even when he heard the ruckus of her tripping over piping on the deck floor ("whoa!"), he merely gave the ocean a lazy expression of indifference. It wasn't until she broke the second bout of silence did he extend his attention.

"Hey, that's a new star."

Cid looked over his shoulder. She was on the opposite side of the deck, looking up at the sky. He walked over, under the damaged bulkhead. He saw what she had noticed.

"It's pretty bright for a star, too," she added, tilting her head in vague puzzlement.

Cid frowned at it, staring at the twinkling light. Something twisted in his stomach. "That's not a star…"

/


	24. Rescue Mission

**Journey**

/

The situation seemed to escalate rapidly after the discovery of the new light in the sky. By the following morning, Cait Sith announced some very troubling news from Shinra's bulletin feed. The star was, as Cid suspected, not a star at all.

It was Meteor. Sephiroth's summon.

Its appearance in the sky had not only caught the attention of the humans, but apparently also that of the great monsters that had emerged from the mountain. Even hovering above ground the_ Highwind_'s crew felt the tremors of their movements, the disruption of their mighty strength. From wherever they were on the Planet, they were making their displeasure known. No one knew what their intentions were, no one could provide any theories, but Cid was sure it wasn't anything even remotely good. They had come from inside a fucking mountain; that alone was enough to ring alarm bells.

He was now more than ever resolved to finish the airship's repairs as quickly as possible. According to Cait, Shinra had already consulted the astronomers at Cosmo Canyon, demanding an estimated time before impact. The little cat would let Cid know immediately when _they_ did. Until then, he continued to scour Junon for Red and Vincent.

Although, knowing that Meteor was looming above them, Cid felt even more pressured. Learning when it was going to hit would probably bring him little comfort (obviously), but even so, it would provide a timeframe for planning a course of action. If there _was_ one. How the hell do you stop a meteorite? Maybe Shinra would finally step up and help prevent a major Planet disaster, one that _they_ were partly responsible for.

The hours melted together that day, occupied with the sole task of repairs. Cid lost himself in thoughts and work, neglecting food and drink and barely speaking to anyone in his determination to finish. He found himself thinking back to the events of the mountain cave, and how Cloud had been…_used_. Sephiroth had been exerting that strange supernatural force over him, and it made Cid wonder if Cloud had been aware, if he knew what was happening but couldn't stop it; trapped in his own body while someone else pulled the strings. Just the thought made Cid shudder.

He hoped Cloud was still alive. The kid was pretty fucked up and confused about his past, but he was a good person, he had been leading a mismatched team over the globe with no real clue. It took guts to shoulder that responsibility. Cloud sure as hell didn't deserve to die in the rubble of a mountain after everything he'd been through.

Cid's memories jumped forward and landed on the first scene in the infirmary. Hojo's words kept echoing in his mind: _"Hello again, Galian."_ Who was Galian? Was that another of Vincent's names? Perhaps an alias from his Turk days? But, when he'd said it, Hojo had been leaning over Vincent when those swirls of ghostly smoke had appeared. What _was_ that? Was it because of the word that Hojo had said? And for that matter, what was _that_? How can a word stop someone in their tracks?

There were so many damn questions rolling around in his head he barely felt time passing.

/

Day three arrived without Cid's full awareness. He had been stripping back the insulation on a wire he was about to solder when someone slammed a bottle of water on his fold-out desk, scaring the life out of him. He looked up through his goggles to the face of Yuffie, settling her best stink eye on him.

"What the fuck? Don't go scarin' me when I've got these bastard irons on," he growled, indicating the soldering tool on his right.

"When's the last time you ate or drank?" She questioned.

"Do I look like I even give a shit right now?" he argued, irritated. He looked back down at his work, reaching for the soldering iron, but the sight of the water had ignited a sudden thirst, and he realized his throat was beyond dry.

"Omar said he'll come and kick your ass if you don't turn up for dinner in an hour."

Cid didn't doubt that. Omar was a big guy, solid and tall. He was probably the same height as Barret, but more beefy, and he knew how to box. Cid had met him when he had literally punched the pilot's lights out during a bender in Rocket Town. Cid had been drunk, and he'd said some pretty stupid things to a man twice his weight. He had been in the wrong, and when his hangover had subsided the next day he'd manned up, sought out Omar and admitted he'd been a complete dick. They had formed a strange friendship as a result, and it was shortly after, when Cid had begun building the_ Highwind_, that he offered Omar a place on his crew. Omar _still_ liked to tell this story, but usually his version consisted of a hugely-exaggerated arrogant Cid. Listeners found it hilarious.

"Fine," he answered shortly, waving her away. "I'll be there in an hour." And he said nothing else as he continued his work. Yuffie left.

The hour flew by. It was lucky someone poked him in the back and told him it was dinner time, or he would have forgotten completely. He turned off the soldering iron and the fume extraction unit at his temporary worktop and made his way to the galley, wanting to get back to his jobs quickly.

His meal was almost already cooked by the time Cid entered the galley. Omar, the crafty bastard, had prepared it whether he knew Cid was coming or not. The pilot had expected other members of the crew to be there, taking a break from their work, but the only other person aside from himself and the cook was Kejon, a new member who was a bit nervous around Cid.

The Captain had barely sat down in a chair when Cait Sith appeared at the door, noticed him and quickly ambled over.

"Cid – I found them," he exclaimed, climbing onto the chair next to him and hefting himself onto the tabletop. "Red and Vincent. They _are_ in Junon, but not for long."

"Why not for long?"

"There was an explosion in the west side of the city," the cat said. "Cause unknown, but local authorities were ordered not to approach the site no matter what. Only certain Shinra were allowed to sort out the mess. I did some poking and saw it was Hojo's name over the jurisdiction, and with a little more I found Red and Vincent's names. They're being kept in a block of renovated underground bunkers."

It felt like a small victory, but good news was still good news. "Why won't they be there for long?" Cid questioned.

"Because of the explosion, I think. I don't know the reason." Cait shrugged, tail twitching. "Hojo signed off on a prisoner transfer as soon as it happened. He's taking them back to Midgar as soon as transport arrives."

"Shit," Cid cursed. "Do you think someone planted a bomb? Like, another Avalanche type group against Shinra?"

Cait seemed to consider it before shaking his head. "No, there haven't been any other terrorist activities against Shinra. I'll try and find the source of the explosion, but first I'm going to try and delay that transport. Although, it might be out of my hands…"

Cid's mind was thinking. "We gotta spring 'em tonight."

The robot tilted his head. "But we don't have the_ Highwind_ to use. And I can't risk authorizing a vehicle – if I'm caught outright helping you guys my real self won't be much good to you when I'm locked up."

"We can use one of the lifeboats," Cid said, eyes drifting to the table's surface as he concocted a hasty plan. "Yer can give me the exact location and how to get in, I'll use that stolen guard uniform –"

"You can't carry them both out," Cait cut across regretfully. "And without another uniform you can't take anyone else to help."

"Then we damn well steal one," Cid declared.

"Each guard checks in regularly on his comms unit. They have their own number that they reel off to the Command Office, and their shifts change constantly – at least, they do now. They didn't use to. I think they might be expecting some sort of opposition from you, which makes this plan all the more risky."

Cid let out a sigh of contempt. "I fuckin' hate Shinra."

Omar set a plate full of cooked meat and vegetables before him, but the smell that wafted to his nose failed to engage his appetite. Cid poked it unenthusiastically. Cait was silent for a few minutes, his head cocked, considering options. The distant clatter and noise of power tools provided the only background sounds as the crew continued to work on repairs.

Cid had another idea. "If I can get into the bunker maybe all I need to do is wake 'em both up. With those two, we can bust outta there without backup. And if we time it right, we can have one of the lifeboats in position to pick us up before Shinra even knows they got screwed."

Cait's little shoulders slumped and he shook his head softly. "Hojo will have them both heavily sedated. And a simple cell and chains can't hold Vincent, Hojo'll have taken precautions. There're just too many risks."

Cid clanked his fork on the plate in exasperation. "What the fuck are we gonna do, then? There's no way I'm lettin' Hojo cart them outta Junon – we might _never_ get to 'em." He glared at his food for a second before his thoughts circled back to a former plan. "If we _do_ steal another uniform, we only need 'em for a short time. And if the Command Office does get suspicious, it'll take 'em more than a few minutes to figure it out. That might be all the time we need."

"What if _you_ get captured?"

"Then we'll know my plan was shit."

"Cid, if you get taken prisoner any hope of rescuing the others will be pretty dim," the cat said.

"How about if your crew goes for you," Omar called, walking over slowly. He'd been listening. "Someone else can fit in that uniform, and if they get captured, it won't be so big a loss."

"No," Cid said immediately, glaring in his direction. "I won't put this crew in danger after I just got 'em back." It was half of the truth; the main reason why he rejected Omar's suggestion was that _he_ had to be the one. Cid had to – _wanted to_ – rescue Vincent and Red. He hadn't done enough to prevent their capture, and for that he was responsible for getting them out.

About to punch the table with frustration at his lack of ideas, it hit him just like that. He relaxed his balled fist and allowed the ploy to form in his mind. Yes, that just might work…

/

It wasn't until the following morning that Cid could put his plan to action. The waiting was torture, but it provided time for them all to prepare. Only when Cait finally announced that he had a lock on the transport did Cid feel better. It was a large, official land vehicle, commonly used to transport First Class Soldiers to various missions and armored with Type 2 panels; strong but not completely impenetrable. This one was departing from a Shinra military base on the peninsula south of Junon very early, and would arrive at approximately 9.00am. Cid and his gang were going to commandeer it.

They roused blearily from a mere couple of hours sleep to store some tools into a lifeboat. Cid hadn't slept at all and so had pretty much gathered everything himself and waited for their last 'Mission Member' to arrive. Yuffie appeared with her stolen clothes bundled in her arms and a satchel, barely pulling her foot clear as Cid shut the hatch behind her.

Their destination was not Junon, but rather around the city and towards the wilds to the south – a flight that took them nearly two hours. It was a further hour until they arrived at the target location: a strategically-potential terrain, where they could conceal themselves in the overgrowth and wait for the transport to stroll down the only accessible cut-out road. This part of the Junon Area had yet to benefit from Shinra's roadwork program, because land transport to Junon was rarely called for thanks to the convenience of the_ Highwind_ and the helicopters. The area pretty much belonged to the wilds, and offered plenty of cover.

Having estimated the transport to arrive within the next half hour, the group got to work quickly. They found a suitable sized tree (and damn was it 'suitably sized') and spent almost twenty minutes cutting at the base of the trunk. It was an old, dead tree judging by the hollow THUNKS of their cutting tools, which should have made their efforts a little easier. Due to their time limitations and lack of proper equipment, they couldn't conduct a proper job, and had to hope the surrounding growth wouldn't hinder its fall. The drop zone was the transport's pathway, but the tree's huge roots happened to have earthed on that side, presenting potential resistance. However, when it finally fell, it proved much too heavy for any interfering factors to stop its fall, and it landed with a mighty noise across the track. The group threw bushes and foliage at its severed base, so the clean cut would not be seen. Then they hid away and waited.

Sure enough, the sound of an engine approaching broke the silence, and the vehicle came into view. It was a heavily armored transport, rumbling deeply as it rolled over the uneven terrain with little effort. It halted a hundred yards from the fallen tree, and for a long minute nothing moved. Then the vehicle's cargo ramp opened with a mechanical hum and two guards descended, walking over to the fallen tree. From Cid's hiding spot he could hear them communicating about the possibility of pushing the branch aside with the vehicle.

It was almost too easy after that, it took a mere four minutes to secure the vehicle. Cait had told them there would only be a maximum of three or four guards on board, as it was merely a transport assignment and required nothing more than a few accompanying personnel. There were four guards Cid's team had to deal with, a feat easily carried out with a simultaneous attack on the two outside and the two inside. It was just too easy, but Cid wasn't about to complain. He ordered Jo to remain with the lifeboat, as she would lay in wait outside of Junon, providing the contingency plan if anything went wrong.

Taking a seat at the control wheel, he rammed the fallen tree from the path in several successions and continued on the vehicle's course. They arrived at Junon almost exactly 9.00am, at which point Cid's stomach felt like it was lined with lead. He couldn't afford for this not to work – if it failed, a second chance was very unlikely. He could _not_ fail Vincent. And Red.

The Shinra had been simply tied up during the ride to Junon, whereas the others had been knocked unconscious as well. Various promises and threats coaxed the man to give up his number and code to the Command Office, which initiated radio communication as soon as they were at the city's transport gates. When they were admitted in, Cid's butterflies stilled suspiciously, and he was reminded of the calm anticipation he had felt before the battle at Aerith's death. She would be worrying now, knowing the team was so broken. She would be so concerned with everyone's wellbeing, and completely devastated at Cloud's unfortunate fate.

When the transport vehicle (named the _MudRoller,_ as it was declared on an official Shinra sticker) pulled into the parking lot of the headquarters compound, the communications console informed them that Professor Hojo would be arriving within a quarter of an hour. Cid cursed as he watched rain start to fall; he hated waiting. But it was better than having to enter the city central zone. Cid planned to make a hasty retreat if things turned sour – which was highly possible – and navigating Junon streets in a hurry was tricky at best.

Ten minutes passed before a large Shinra transport rolled into view, standard-class, cream side panels baring the company insignia. Underneath were the words 'Medical Service Junon Sector 3'. The only word of significance to Cid was 'Medical'. He glared.

Someone slapped his arm, breaking him from his stare, and he realized Hojo was already out of the vehicle and moving to oversee the two guards guiding something from the cargo doors, all slick in the downpour. Cid hit the switch to open the _MudRoller_'s hatch and lower the ramp, glancing behind him to find his team dressed in the stolen uniforms of the guards. Yuffie climbed into the co-pilot chair beside Cid, hidden from view by a hanging flap that separated the driving consoles from the holding compartment. Their captives were hidden beneath a canvas they had found on board. She gave him an anxious look, knees drawn to her chin, half hidden under her shawl.

Cid watched from his windscreen as Hojo led the two guards from his vehicle out of view to the _MudRoller_'s ramp. Between the two men was a hover-platform that they were pushing, and entrenched in that were two cylindrical units. Through the small panel of glass on one of them, splattered with raindrops, Cid saw the vivid color of Red's fur.

They disappeared from view as they made towards the transport's ramp. His disguised team helped guide the hover-platform to a designated station designed for it. Cid could do nothing but listen, having no disguise to reveal himself with. He heard Hojo's snooty voice dismiss the two guards.

Just as the pilot thought everything was going swimmingly, an officer came jogging from the building of the headquarters, calling Professor Hojo's name. Cid swore silently, watching carefully as Hojo appeared in his view out the window to meet the officer. Their voices wavered through the open hatch from behind him. Through the sound of the heavy rainfall he caught the words "the_ Highwind_'s been located." His blood ran cold. Yuffie stiffened in her chair.

"Excellent," Hojo's voice floated over. "…delay my transport –"

Those words were all it took to move Cid's hand, punching the controls for the hatch to close and then flying over the steering console to engage the _MudRoller_'s idle engines. Both Hojo and the officer looked up at it, surprised.

"Captain – what are you _doing_?" One of his team called from the back.

"Change of plan!" He announced, slamming the transport into reverse as Hojo began approaching, brow twisted in confusion. "One rescue down – another fucker to go." He ground his teeth in anger and apprehension as he forced the steering controller right around and bullied the heavy vehicle into speed, hoping that in his haste he might have rolled over Hojo as he did the bollards in the parking lot. His hopes were dashed when he glimpsed a white coat stumbling back. Damnit. "Get onto the_ Highwind_'s radio frequency," he bellowed to the back. "Tell 'em to move their ass right now! And get Jo on the line – she'll have to come get us."

He ploughed through the entrance barrier and raced past the gates out of Junon. The wilds swallowed them up a minute later.

"Cid, how can they reach the_ Highwind_?" Yuffie asked, her eyes wide in concern as she lowered her feet to the floor and leaned closer. She bounced in her seat as the _MudRoller_ ploughed over the bumpy terrain. "It's hovering above water."

"They can blast her out of the damn air, is how," he almost roared, filled with worry and rage just thinking about it. "Kid, if they know they can't have her, they'll _do_ _away_ with her." Just like the _Tiny Bronco_ they shot down. "I know what them bastards are like. They won't care for non-Shinra causalities, either."

Yuffie stared out the windscreen in vague fear. The shit just kept getting more real for her.

Cid glanced at her. "Go and wake Vincent and Red up. Poor bastards don't wanna be locked in them stasis tubes."

She got up and left, leaving the co-pilot seat vacant. It was filled a second later when Berto sat down in it, fixing Cid with a hard look.

"Holoski says he can't move the_ Highwind_," he said gravely. "They just haven't gotten around to diverting power to the thrusters. The stabilizers are sucking it all up until we can fix that main line. They're not going anywhere."

"Shit," Cid said under his breath. "They'll be sittin' ducks."

"Jo's on her way, though," Berto continued. "She's about twenty minutes away. We'll probably have company chasing _us_ pretty soon," he warned, turning his attention to the console in front of him. He hit a few buttons, bringing to life a radar monitor. "If they bring that chopper after us we might be up shits creek. This armor won't be much of a shield against their missiles."

The helicopter. Of course. "Shit… they'll probably use that to get to the_ Highwind_," Cid said. "I'm hopin' they're still wonderin' what the fuck goin' on with the _MudRoller_ and ain't even sent out pursuers yet."

"You and your hope."

"Fuck you, it's all I've got," Cid replied half-heartedly.

"Um, Cid?" Yuffie's voice drifted from the holding compartment. "Vinnie's kinda… naked. Wanna lend him your pants?"

Cid's eyebrows twisted. "What? No I don't wanna – what – where're his _clothes_?"

"I don't know! That freak Hojo must have stripped him."

Cid ran an exasperated hand over his face. "We just stripped four godsdamn guards of _their_ uniforms. Unless yer plannin' to help 'em dress again, give him one of theirs!" So not the rescue he had imagined.

"I'm not dressing him!" Yuffie yelled back indignantly.

_No, duh._ "Yer damn right yer not dressin' him," he called back. "Morrey, get up here and take over watch. Berto, you drive." Cid slipped from the seat as Morrey passed him under the flap to the holding compartment. His other crewman, whose name he couldn't remember, and who Cid was now dubbing 'Guy', was securing the bonds of their captives.

As soon as Yuffie saw Cid she slid off the edge of the hover-platform to her feet. "Red should be waking soon," she told him, drawing Cid's attention to the two open pods behind her. "He had a drip attached to his leg, poor guy. But Vincent's just… sleeping."

Cid untied his jacket and slung it over Vincent's bare form. The man was so still, so pale, he looked unreal. His eyelashes and hair seemed all the more vivid against the pure of his skin and the cream of the pod. His gauntlet was the only item still on him, marring his otherwise flawless frame. Had he been unconscious the whole time Hojo had him? Had he been mercifully unaware? Cid hoped so. The man looked so tragically beautiful it made his chest physically _ache_. It would be but a small relief if Vincent hadn't been awake during his capture.

"Gaia to Ciiiid," Yuffie's voice broke through his reverie, a mocking tune in her tone. "I know he's _pretty_, but he's also still _naked_."

Cid glared at her. "Grab that canvas," he barked, jerking his head at the sheet they had thrown over the unconscious Shinra guards. When she did as instructed, Cid turned his eyes back to Vincent, lingering just a few moments longer.

Behind Vincent's pod, Red stirred weakly. On their journey across to him, Cid's eyes spotted a seam at the base of the two pods in the platform. He walked around and felt along the smooth surface, fingers finding a button. A small compartment popped open, revealing a set of familiar clothes.

"Well, at least he ain't gotta go clothes shoppin' now," Cid announced in jest as Yuffie peeked across at Vincent's folded gear.

"Good, get him dressed before he wakes," she urged.

Cid took the canvas from her and draped it over Vincent. "No way, he can dress himself. Man's got dignity to preserve." Once he was sure the gunman was suitably covered he prodded his shoulder. "Hey, Vincent." He tapped the back of his hand on a smooth cheek. "Wake up." He received no response.

Red, however, was beginning to come to. His fire-tipped tail snaked sluggishly inside his pod and his ears twitched sporadically. The _MudRoller_ bounced over a dip in the ground, forcing a tiny whine from him.

"Red," Yuffie moved around to his side and ran a gentle hand across his furred shoulder. "Hey, can you hear me? It's Yuffie. You're safe."

That was debatable. Any moment Cid expected Morrey to announce they had chasers on their tail, or to hear back from the _Highwind_ that she was being blown to bits. He felt sick thinking Shinra were probably on their way to do just that to his baby, and he was stuck in the wilds waiting for Jo to find them. Why the fuck couldn't they get a break for once?

Red was moving up with Yuffie's help, shifting into a position more comfortable than on his side. He looked drugged to the eyeballs. Poor guy. Cid couldn't even pretend to understand how it felt to wake from – no, wait… not true. He'd had plenty of hangovers, after all.

He looked back down at Vincent, a mystery full of mysteries, an enigma that Cid was beginning to find more curious and harder to ignore. Who was Galian? What dark secret lurked inside the gunman? He could feel Yuffie's eyes on him again, reminding him that he was staring. So he reached down again in another attempt to rouse the sleeping man. He planted his hand over Vincent's chest, managing to utter half of his name before a strange sensation swam into his palm.

He jerked his hand away simultaneously as Vincent shot up with wide eyes, gasping loudly.

"Vincent!" Yuffie called.

Cid found his eyes locked with those crimson ones. Whatever strange energy that had run through Cid's hand had originated from Vincent. It dispersed through the pilot's arm, a ghostly feeling of warm electricity, fading as quickly as it had started. He broke their connection as he glanced to the gunman's chest. Something was glowing faintly beneath his skin.

Vaguely registering Yuffie's movement as she approached, Vincent pressed his hand over the glow, looking just as startled as the pilot felt. With his hair askew and his eyes burning brightly, Vincent quickly took in his surroundings as quickly as he dared, trying to absorb information on top of his initial shock.

"Hey, how do you feel?" Yuffie asked.

Vincent glanced at Cid again before her. He swallowed before finding his voice. "Where are we?"

"Fleeing Junon," the young ninja answered. She frowned. "Are you alright?"

Following her gaze, Vincent looked at his hand over his chest before slowly removing it to grip the canvas. The glow had disappeared. He looked lost for words, but managed a nod, spikes of hair bouncing softly. His red eyes darted up to Cid's again.

"Captain! We've got company!"

Cid tore his eyes from Vincent's, reality crashing back. He let loose a curse as he strode to the driving compartment. Sure enough, there on the radar monitor were several little blips behind them. But there was one ahead, as well.

"Jo," Berto confirmed.

"Cid!" Yuffie called from behind.

He turned to find her holding up her satchel. _Of course!_ He grabbed it off her and dove inside for the sticks of dynamite he'd stashed in there back aboard the _Highwind_.

"How close are they?" He asked Morrey.

"About fifteen hundred yards and gaining."

"The fuse on these lasts twelve seconds," Cid stated, counting them in the satchel. "For 'em to do _any_ damage those bastards're gonna need to be pretty close behind us." He paused, thinking. "They won't have detected Jo. She could provide a rear attack if she can swing around them without gettin' spotted. If we time it right."

"The lifeboats only have limited primary fire," Berto called back. "She won't be able to do a lot of damage to five targets."

Cid looked at Yuffie. "What offensive materia yer got on yer?"

"Lightning," she answered.

"Good, that'll do some damage to their armor. And if we pelt 'em with these," he jostled the dynamite, "they'll be fuckin' lucky to get out unscathed."

"Can't we just throw these guys out, too?" Yuffie jerked her head at their bound captives, some of whom were coming to. "That might buy us some time while they stop and pick them up."

Cid agreed. A minute later Berto lowered the ramp enough for them to unceremoniously roll the captives down it, decreasing speed only a little. The Shinra guards grunted in protest before they disappeared out the _MudRoller_.

"Um, will they be alright?" Yuffie asked, watching the ramp close again a few minutes later. "I kinda thought we'd slow down a bit more."

Cid waved a dismissive hand. He couldn't care less at the moment, but for her sake he said, "The most they'll get are a few bruises." He caught sight of Vincent behind her, buckling up his leather awkwardly with one hand and the gauntlet. He had the urge to batter his talons out the way and do the buckles up for him. Behind him, Red lolled about limply in his pod, trying to wake up.

"What is that –!?" Came Morrey's cut-off voice.

"Oh shit – HANG ON!" Berto bellowed suddenly.

The _MudRoller_ pitched downwards abruptly. Cid felt the brief, surreal experience of floating before the vehicle _crashed_ back to the ground violently and everyone hurtled forward, thrown into the sides with bone-breaking force. Cid's head hit something hard and his vision blackened as the _MudRoller_ continued to jerk and tumble, tossing them about like ragdolls in a washing machine. Red yelped somewhere amidst the chaos. Then suddenly they came to an ungainly halt as the nose of the transporter slammed into a mound of earth.

Ears ringing, Cid groped for something that would inform him whether he was upside down, on the ceiling or even in one piece. He heard one of his crewmen groan as he blinked back his vision. It took its time returning.

"Euh – everyone sound off," he commanded, lungs feeling flattened. He got to his feet as Berto and the other crewman responded, albeit weakly, and waited for the blurriness to subside before panning his eyes around the holding compartment. He stumbled over to Yuffie and dropped to his knees. Blood steamed down a slash on her temple. "Shit, Yuffie, you okay?"

She groaned, raising a hand to her head. "Oow…" She saw the blood on her hand and her eyes popped open wide. "I-is it bad?" She questioned, voice high with fear.

"Just a shallow cut," he lied smoothly, looking around for something to stem the flow. He couldn't see anything so he unwrapped his scarf and pressed it to her head, planting her hand on it. "Keep pressure on it, and quit yer moanin'. I've done worse shavin' without a mirror."

"O-okay," she said shakily, looking pale.

Cid turned and rose to his feet. The _MudRoller_ was at such an angle everything was tilted down. He saw the hover-platform had escaped its locks and had slammed into the wall panel. Vincent was pinned between them.

"Vince!" Cid rushed over and immediately gripped the edge of the platform, straining to pull it away.

"Nanaki," Vincent half choked, half groaned. "Check Nanaki."

"I'm… safe," came the hound's weakened reply from below the platform.

"C'mon, let's get this fuckin' thing off yer," Cid said, teeth gritted in effort as he dug one heel into the tilted floor and the other against the wall panel. Vincent pushed against the edge and slowly they managed to swing it away. Vincent collapsed to the floor beside Red, hair obscuring his face. Cid crouched beside him and gripped a shoulder, brow tight with concern. He'd just got them both back, for crying out loud. "Any broken ribs? Any damage?"

Vincent lifted his head, meeting Cid's worried eyes through his disheveled hair. He had yet to put on his bandana. "I'm fine."

Not entirely convinced, Cid let it be. He nodded and turned his attention to Red. "Hey, furball, yer good?"

"Aside from the drug after-effects, yes," he answered sedately.

"Morrey ain't good, Captain," Berto's voice called. "He's unconscious and bleeding. We've gotta get him back to the _Highwind_ as soon as possible."

Cid ground his teeth in concern. "Alright. Lower the ramp, let's get the fuck outta here. And by the way, _what the fuck did we hit?_"

"We took a dive into a ravine," Berto replied flatly. A few seconds later he emerged with Morrey hanging off his shoulder, bleeding heavily from his head. Guy rushed to help him. "We're currently sat at the bottom, but those tails will be on us in minutes if we don't move."

Cid helped Vincent stand, keeping a hand on his shoulder. "You okay to carry Red?"

The man nodded again. The glow of his eyes was still bright from the strange experience earlier. But he was _safe_, and despite all crap they were going through, this one little fact fueled the tiny sense of relief that had grown from Vincent's awakening. But they weren't out of the woods yet.

"Berto, I said lower the ramp," Cid said as he wrapped his jacket around his waist before scooping Yuffie into his arms. She looked nauseous.

"I did. I punched it."

Cid turned to the _MudRoller_'s floor. The seam of the ramp had released barely four inches, creating three slivers through which dull daylight shone.

"Shit," Berto hissed. "We must be propped on mud banks or something. They're wedging the ramp closed."

"Fuck, we don't have time for this," Cid growled, feeling time slipping by as the Shinra chasers drew nearer and nearer. He set Yuffie back down and went to the driving consoles. He punched the release for the hatch over and over, hoping the banks of earth might crumble and give, but they didn't. The ramp opened another five inches and refused to budge any more. Cid tried engaging the engines, but by the sound of the spinning tires they either had no grip or the _MudRoller_ couldn't move. "There an emergency exit in this tin can?"

Berto pressed his lips together and shook his head.

"_Fuck_!" Cid swiveled on the spot, hand in his hair as he thought desperately.

He barely registered Vincent sweeping his cape on and taking his gun and bandana from the hover-platform's compartment. He then moved to the ramp. "If I might try something…"

Cid turned to watch, baffled as to what the man could do. Vincent crouched on the ramp and slid his fingers through the gap, gripping the edge of the seam. To Cid's utter amazement he began _lifting_. Holy-fucking-Shiva, he began lifting the _vehicle_ away from the _ramp_. The ramp may not have been able to move, but the gunman was determined to move the _MudRoller_.

"Holy fuck," Berto whispered.

The floor they were stood upon began sloping further as Vincent hefted it higher, grunting with immense effort. Cid wheeled around and snatched up Red, then pulled Yuffie to his back. She wrapped an arm around his neck and her legs around his waist, still clutching the scarf.

"Everyone out!" He ordered. The gap between the floor and the ramp was now large enough to squeeze through, and Vincent was straining visibly. "Quickly!"

They bent through the gap beside Vincent and one by one escaped the vehicle into the rain. When Cid made it with Yuffie and Red, he lost his footing on the bank outside and slid down the side in a rush of slick mud and grass. Red fell from his arms, rolling to a stop a few feet away in the water-sodden soil. Berto and the other crewman rushed to them with Morrey. Cid turned and looked up, squinting against the rain.

"Vincent – we're out! Your turn!"

He could just make out Vincent's red cape through the downpour, edging out of the gap while he shouldered the incredible weight of the vehicle. With a loud, heavy metallic BAM the holding compartment slammed back down on the ramp as Vincent flung himself clear, unable to stop as he tumbled down the bank towards them.

Cid carefully set Yuffie down before dashing to the gunman's side, pulling his matted hair from his face. "Shit, Vince," he breathed, both in awe and worry.

Vincent's shoulders heaved as he coughed and spluttered. Blood splattered onto the soaked mud beneath him, trickling from his mouth. His entire body was quivering.

"Fuck… just take a minute," Cid coaxed, unable to tear his eyes away. He tried to get him to lie down fully, but the man shook his head.

"I guess that – nuh – platform did a little more damage…than I thought," Vincent mused croakily, hugging his stomach. "Give me a few seconds, I'll be fine…"

He sure didn't sound it. Cid shook his head, incredulous. "Yer guess, huh?" He repeated cynically.

Vincent offered a light expression in response, smoothing the pilot's concerns a tad. How absurd – it should be _Cid_ who was doing the calming.

"Cid," Berto called his attention, his tone urgent. "We've gotta go."

Cid nodded. "Right. Can yer stand?"

Vincent answered by climbing shakily to his feet with the pilot's help. More coughing produced more trickles of blood, but the gunman's resolve was as tough as the extraordinary strength coursing through him.

Seconds later they were moving through the harsh growth as quickly as the inhospitable wilds would allow them. Cid led the way with Red still cradled in his arms, protecting him from the sharp branches and scratching leaves in their way; his bare arms were red with lacerations. The rain was unrelenting, cruel as to even bring thunder and lightning to join in.

They meandered through a small grove of dense trees, pushing through the sea of green as flashes of lightning lit up the air. Berto tried contacting Jo, but he couldn't hear her through the noise of the rain and thunder, and had to hope she had heard him yelling into the little device about their current predicament.

No sooner had he stowed it back onto his belt did the earth exploded around them. Clumps of sodden earth sprayed into the air several times, and with each fountain of mud came the unmistakable sound of gunfire.

"EVERYBODY DOWN!" Cid bellowed, scrambling away down their grassy incline to tuck behind an outcrop of rock. Red shifted anxiously in his arms, his tail fizzing but never dying. Cid glanced out from his shelter, spotting his team crouched behind more rocks. Behind and below them was a small river, hidden beneath the canopy of trees and banks. If they could pass it and reach the other side they would find better coverage.

The shooting had stopped, but above the din of the weather they could hear a voice calling at them through an amplifier. Even so, the words were difficult to hear. Cid made a guess and assumed they were being offered the chance to surrender, or else.

It was hard to pinpoint the source of the voice, and even as Cid poked his head out to chance a look he could see nothing but the foliage of the ravine. He dipped back down. If they ran for the river they would be temporarily exposed, and Cid wasn't willing to put his injured team in any line of fire. Berto and the other guy wouldn't be able to drag Morrey fast enough. Unless they had a diversion.

Cid glanced past his three crewmen to where Vincent and Yuffie were crouched. She still had her satchel – good girl. But whether he could keep his lighter lit in the torrential rain was the real problem.

He gripped Red tighter and dashed from his outcrop to theirs. A ripple of gunfire followed him. So they were just going to shoot anyway…

"Yuffie, gimme the bag," Cid said as he set Red down. He grabbed the soaking satchel and discovered the dynamite was just as wet. "Shit," he cursed. They wouldn't light even if he managed to strike a flame.

"What are you thinking?" Vincent's deep voice asked. When Cid explained, Vincent withdrew his gun and held out his claws for a stick of dynamite. "I will provide the distractions while you get the team to safety."

Cid held on to the satchel. "How?"

Through his sopping bangs, Vincent leveled his eyes. "I have a good throw." He thumbed the safety off his gun.

Cid wanted to say no. _He_ should be providing the distractions, this was _his_ rescue mission – Vincent was supposed to be the rescu_ee._ But the man had the cards, and Cid couldn't ignore the opportunity to get his team to safety.

Between them Yuffie moaned weakly. "I think I'm gonna throw up…"

Cid handed Vincent the satchel and then clapped a hand on his shoulder. "I owe yer _so_ many beers after this." He slung Yuffie's arm around his neck and grabbed poor Red again. "Don't be far behind." He ordered.

Vincent nodded, and in a swirl of red had swiftly dashed away to take cover behind a further rocky bank. Bullets pelted the ground behind him, showering the air with mud. He had diverted the enemy's attention.

Cid quickly informed his two conscious crewmen, and with a look over his shoulder he gave a signaling nod. That was Vincent's cue.

To say Cid wasn't impressed when he watched the first stick of dynamite hurtle through the air would be a lie. Even with the water streaming down his face, obscuring his vision, he saw. The power behind Vincent's throw was enough to break the sound barrier, but before it could, a crack of triple bullets ripped through the air. Almost instantly the dynamite exploded, and behind the billowing cloud of fire and smoke Cid caught a glimpse of the Shinra.

Without wasting a second of their distraction, Cid hissed "now!" at his team and quickly scrambled down the sloping hill towards the river with Red and Yuffie. His shoulders tensed, half expecting bullets to rip his back to shreds, but a second explosion of dynamite shattered the air, and then a third. Vincent wasn't giving the enemy time to get a lock.

Cid's knees crashed into the water of the river, barely registering the cold. He waded across as quickly as possible and made it to the other side a few seconds later. Setting Yuffie and Red down he then rushed back to help Berto and Guy with Morrey. The explosions had stopped, but the continued RATATAT of the Shinra's weapons tore through the noise of the rain. Cid couldn't see Vincent from their lower position.

"C'mon, yer stubborn bastard," he said under his breath, watching the other side of the river bank. It was harder to hear anything under the roar of the rain pummeling the canopy, but finally Cid caught the sound of one last explosion, and to his relief a few seconds later the familiar red of Vincent's cape emerged from the downpour and he stumbled into the shore of the river. Cid's heart jumped as he noticed blood pouring from multiple gunshot wounds on his left shoulder, and Yuffie's satchel slung around the other. Cid raced forward, charging into the water once again to catch the injured man from tripping forward over pebbles and stones. Cid twisted his ankle on the same hidden rocks and they ended up supporting each other to the bank.

"Yuffie, gimme that scarf," Cid panted, setting Vincent down on a flat stone. He ripped the material in half, handed Yuffie her bloodied part back and pressed the other to Vincent's collarbone. "Shit, Vince, yer lucky these aren't lower."

"They shot as I was throwing the last," Vincent grunted, replacing Cid's hand with his own. His face was twisted in pain.

"They can't follow us in their transports, but they might try to come after us on foot," Berto warned loudly over a clap of thunder. His short hair was plastered to his head, soaked to the bone.

Cid nodded. "Tell Jo we're on the far side of the river, she'll have to swing around out of sight. And tell her to fuckin' hurry." He pulled Yuffie to her feet and held her arm. "Can yer walk on yer own?"

She nodded tentatively. "I think so. I feel lightheaded though…"

Cid didn't doubt that. She'd lost a lot of blood. "Yer'll be fine." He looked up at Berto. "Let's move away above the bank. If they do come after us we don't wanna make it easier for 'em."

His three crewmen began trudging through the mud and up the steep bank, using tree roots to haul themselves along. Cid grabbed Vincent's gauntlet and pulled his arm around his shoulder, mindful of the talons. Vincent grunted in pain as he hefted him to his feet.

"Red, how yer doin' down there?" Cid asked over the noise of the storm.

"I think I can walk," the hound replied, giving a few shaking steps. It took a few tries to organize four paws, but he eventually coordinated his pace and followed the three men. His wet fur clung to his frame, making him look smaller as he walked away.

Yuffie grabbed his shirt. "My vision's going blurry…"

"Then hang onto me and – I don't believe I'm about to say this – keep talkin', keep yer mind alert."

"Okay."

With that he led them both away from the deep muddy shore and up the incline, following Red's fire-tipped tail through the rain with Yuffie mumbling about the food she missed from Wutai. Water ran down their skin in sheets, making visibility difficult and stability even more so. Twice Cid's foot slipped in the slickened earth, forcing Vincent to grab an uprooted tendril with his injured side. Cid hated the gritted cry of pain he gave.

When they finally scrambled onto more level terrain Yuffie threw herself away and heaved the contents of her stomach.

Looking away, Cid noticed Berto had left Morrey with Guy and was waving his arm, the communicator in the other hand. Following his direction, Cid saw the much, _much_ welcome sight of the lifeboat carefully moving around the trees.

"At fuckin' last," Cid breathed.

A few minutes later they were aboard, out of the pelting rain and harsh ravine. Cid made sure everyone was buckled in or sat down before joining Jo at the controls.

"Get us to the _Highwind_ as fast as yer can," he told her, almost pleaded her. He had been so preoccupied with his team's safety he had been able to push his fear aside. Now it hit him with a cruel punch to the gut. How long had it been since he heard Hojo say they'd found his airship?

The trip back would take at least two hours. Two hours too long. Cid couldn't sit down. He tried contacting Holoski with his communicator but there was no pick up. It made him feel as sick as Yuffie had been.

Berto and Jurdun (Guy's real name) quickly dived into the onboard medi-kit as soon as they were all airborne. Jurdun took care of Morrey as best he could while Berto began working on Yuffie's injury. Vincent waved away his help, despite the saturated remains of the scarf still dripping diluted blood on the floor. Cid ran a hand through his matted hair and watched everything in a moment of indecision. Then he sank heavily onto the chair beside Vincent. The moment his weight lifted from his feet a flood of exhaustion rode through him.

"Yer really are _stubborn_," Cid told him.

"Pot calling the kettle," Vincent mumbled back. When Cid looked at him, surprised, he explained wearily, "an old idiom."

"Yeah, I know. I've just never heard anyone use it," Cid said, watching the mop of black hair.

Vincent's eyes traced the floor. "It used to be quite common…"

Cid communicator crackled to life, startling him. He snatched it from his pocket as it garbled out his name. "Holoski? Holoski, damnit, can yer hear me?"

"Captain? Captain we've detected a Shinra convoy on their way towards us," came the distressed voice of a man. "_And_ the Junon 'copter. They'll reach us in about forty minutes, Sir."

Cid pushed his fingers roughly through his hair. "Holoski, listen – I want yer to take a couple of lifeboats to the shoreline, and I want yer to set up dynamite at spaced intervals. There's a crate load of remote-detonated sticks in the cargo bay. Then I want yer to do the same around the area, where land transport might pass."

"Yes, Captain – "

"Yer save the _Highwind_'s missiles for that chopper, yer hear me?"

"Aye, Sir. But, Sir? We only have two missiles. Shinra never rearmed her fully."

Cid glanced at Berto. "Then if yer have use 'em, make 'em count, Holoski. But… if worse comes to worst… get yer asses outta there and abandon ship, yer got that? That's an order. I don't wanna get there and someone's dead, got that?"

"Yes, Captain."

"Good luck."

"T-thank you, Sir. Holoski out."

Cid rose to his feet, pressing his lips into a thin line. Anger and frustration bubbled inside him so rapidly he felt his blood boiling, holding on to the emotions until they burst. He lashed out at an empty chair, kicking it with an enraged growl. He wanted to pummel something, but instead he started pacing like an agitated animal, hand in his hair, teeth ground so tightly he could have cracked them. His baby, his _Highwind_ was in danger and he should be there.

"Captain," Berto said carefully.

"Don't," Cid warned, his eyes dark. "Just…" He trailed off, shaking his head. He would calm himself down, he couldn't handle anyone else trying to help. He planted both his hands at his hips aggressively. "Fuckin' Shinra…" He let his anger simmer down slowly in the silence of the cabin before he turned his eyes on his quiet team. "Is everyone okay?" He finally asked.

Jurdun looked down at the unconscious crewman uncertainly. "I've patched Morrey up but I'm not a medic, he needs to get checked out properly. His vitals are strong, though."

Cid gave an acknowledging nod. Morrey was tough, he'd be fine. "What about you guys?" He turned his eyes on his Avalanche members, softening his gaze.

"I think I just need rest," Yuffie said, letting her head loll back carefully. She had lowered the bloodied scarf but clutched it in her lap. Berto had applied a white gauze bandage over her temple, but blood was beginning to stain through.

"Cid," Red started, lifting his head from the seat of the chair next to Yuffie. "Thank you for coming back for us."

Cid held his gaze for a moment. "There ain't no way we would have left yer both there."

"So, where are Tifa and Barret?" Red asked. "And what happened to the _Highwind_?"

Cid started to frown at the hound, but then remembered he had been taken away before all hell had broken loose. He gave both Red and Vincent a rundown of the past three days, including the damage to his airship and the appearance of Meteor in the sky. He explained how Cait had found them.

"Explosion?" Red questioned, looking puzzled.

Cid shrugged. "We dunno what caused it, but if not for that he might never have found yer in time."

"Maybe someone tried to blow up Hojo," Yuffie interjected, her eyes closed and her head still leant back.

"Nice to think there might be other people who detest him as much," Red commented.

Cid glanced at Vincent to study his reaction to the Hojo talk, but noticed a strange expression on his face. "Vince? Yer remember somethin'?"

He looked up a little too quickly but gave a minute shake of his head. "No…"

Cid suspected differently. He had witnessed many variations of that expression, and he knew something was ringing a bell in Vincent's mind, either at the mention of the explosion or something else they had spoken of.

The next hour and a half both crawled and sped by, and it was only when Jo announced they were approaching the lagoon did the feeling of heavy lead in Cid's stomach return. He stared down at the small radar screen, studying the blips as they came into view the nearer the lifeboat moved. There were four blips lined in an uneven row along what Cid guessed was the shoreline. When the lifeboat emerged from the dense wilds the scene opened out to them.

The lagoon beach was in disarray. Two Shinra tanks lay smoking on their sides in the cratered sands, fires littered the area, as did stunned guards. One other tank sat stranded in a natural trench a little further inland, but the forth was active and unharmed. It was slowly, cautiously approaching the beach, turret swiveling around to target the _Highwind_. She was still hovering several hundred yards out, a sitting target in the torrential rain. It looked like she had suffered some minor gunfire, but her main concern was the black helicopter that hovered threatening, almost camouflaged against the black thunderclouds, poised to shoot.

Cid's hand clapped Jo's shoulder tightly as he jabbed a finger at the view screen. "The chopper! Fire weapons! Let's draw that bastard's attention away!"

The lifeboat spat out a volley of bullets, denting the helicopter's tough body hull. It did little damage, but succeeded in catching their attention. Through the view screen Cid could see a shock of red hair in the cockpit as it swung around to face them.

Cid had his communicator in hand. "Holoski, fire those missiles NOW!"

Just as the helicopter began surging towards them the _Highwind_ launched her first missile. It soared at the enemy but missed the moving target by what looked like _inches_.

"Shit, move us away!" Cid ordered, grabbing the hand hold above his head as the lifeboat pitched around and fled towards the shelter of the trees. He barely registered the second missile making a beeline for the helicopter, but as he watched in anticipated horror the chopper pulled its nose up at the last possible second and veered away as the bomb flew in front –and straight at the lifeboat.

"JO!"

She jerked the steering lever but wasn't quick enough. The missile ploughed into the lifeboat's rear, tearing off half the hull and throwing it violently out of control. Alarms wailed, red lights flashed, wind howled through the cabin and Yuffie screamed. Cid's grip was wrenched from the hand hold as they spun over and over, and for the second time today his body experienced a terrifying free-fall.

And then blackness.

He came to with a loud, shuddering gasp, drawing air into his deprived lungs and choking on a gulp of rain water. He coughed and spluttered, disorientated. His mind was still spinning, still caught up in the lifeboat's plight before he regained his senses and took in the mess before him.

The lifeboat was in pieces. Bits of it littered the ground, other parts were hanging from the trees it had slammed into. Panels had flung everywhere. A few fires danced about, dying rapidly in the heavy downpour. Cid was sprawled on what was once the ceiling panel of the cabin, and crushing his lower body was part of a wall. Pain throbbed abruptly though his torso, but he gritted his teeth, reached forward and with painful effort slid the heavy panel from him. He could feel adrenalin coursing through him, and he guessed that he was probably in worse shape than he currently felt. Nevertheless, he crawled up onto his knees and clumsily slid down the mess of destroyed lifeboat. His legs almost gave out when his feet slammed into the puddled grass.

"Cid," came a female groan.

Cid clambered forward, gripping a sheet of hull and wrenching it away to reveal Jo. She appeared unharmed save for a few bleeding cuts. He helped her to her feet.

Someone else moaned from his right. He stumbled with Jo to discover Jurdun hunched protectively over Morrey. Neither looked too badly hurt, but Morrey was still unconscious.

Cid told Jo to sort them out as he caught sight of Red's vivid fur through the rain some twenty feet away. He made his way over on unsteady feet and dropped to his knees. Red was lingering on the borders of consciousness, a deep gash of red seeped blood from his hindquarter. Cid roused him with a few shakes, darting his gaze about for any sign of the last three members.

"Cid…?" Red groaned. "Is…is everyone okay?"

Cid helped him onto his feet without an answer as Berto trudged into sight and saw them. His left arm was clearly broken and blood ran down it in rivets, diluted by the rain.

Somewhere in the immediate vicinity something gave a loud, inhuman growl, stopping Cid's heart for a second. Amidst all the chaos of the moment he hadn't ever thought about monsters attacking. Their crash should have sent everything, big and small, fleeing.

None of them had a weapon to defend themselves, but before Cid could worry about that the sound of helicopter rotor blades warped the air and a gust of air whipped around them. He craned his aching neck up to see the chopper looming down on them, and below on the ground the last Shinra tank approached menacingly.

"Surrender," commanded a voice over the helicopter's speakers, loud even above the racket of the rain. "And we won't destroy you or the airship."

Great, options... Cid ground his teeth together, but before he could make any decision, or any move for that matter, Yuffie's voice called to him. He spun around, glad she was at least okay, but his heart leapt into his throat as the sight behind her.

"Yuffie!"

She turned to look, but the creature bearing down on her stomped completely past the girl and roared aggressively at the chopper. It snatched up a broken panel like it weighed nothing, and hurtled it at the offending vehicle.

The helicopter jerked aside, trying to dodge the lethal projectile, but it was not quick enough, and the panel sliced into the side of the hull, embedded there. Even over the thunder Cid could hear the alarms onboard screaming in warning. The red-headed pilot lost control as the chopper spun away, smoke billowing from the damaged body. Even as it attempted to flee away from the crash site the Shinra tank opened fire on them in retaliation, unloading a torrent of bullets at the monster and forcing everyone to dive for cover.

From his crouched position beside Red and Berto, Cid watched in fascinated horror as the monster stormed forwards threateningly, putting itself in front of Yuffie. Before his eyes it generated two handfuls of bright, mystical fire – which it hurtled at the tank, one after the other. Following their trajectory, Cid's eyes watered as they exploded against the tank, engulfing the front in bright flames. The turret swiveled around to aim at the creature, but two more fireballs erupted against the plating, damaging the barrel beyond use. A second later most of the tank was an inferno, and to Cid's amazement the top hatch flipped open and the Shinra crew abandoned the burning wreck. They fled into the trees, presumably to seek out the helicopter's crash site.

The monster slowly turned to Yuffie. Cid scrambled to his feet, grabbing a broken metal bracket from the ground and rushed towards her.

"Yuffie get away!" He bellowed, raising the bracket.

"No, Cid!" She cried, thrusting her hands out, pushing his poised weapon away as the creature took a step back. "It's _Vincent_!"

It didn't sink in straightaway. He couldn't comprehend her implication until her words had repeated several times in his head. That thing… is Vincent?

Cid's hands lowered the weapon slowly, more so from shock than anything. His eyes stared, wide and hard, at the monster. Even as his mind scoured over the physical appearance he immediately recognized the oddity of such a creature. Never had he encountered something like this before. Even in the monster population this thing was strange.

But then he noticed two discerning details that proved Yuffie's declaration true, despite the ludicrously of it: The thing was wearing a gauntlet and, more prominently, a red, tattered cape at its waist.

Cid stared. He couldn't look away. He was aware he was gaping in horror, he was aware of movement to his right, he was also aware that the monster – Vincent – wasn't staring back. The bracket in his hand hit the ground with a wet THUMP, and lightning lit up the sky.

Bullets suddenly pelted the ground around the monster, puncturing its left calf, spraying blood on the ground. It growled in pain and stumbled back as Cid wheeled around to the sight of his own crew running towards them from the _Highwind_'s other lifeboats. They called out, brandishing their weapons.

"No!" Cid waved his arms, gesturing for them to cease fire. He spun back to the sound of pounding feet, and caught the ends of the red cape disappearing through the trees. Cid's legs took off after it of their own accord, leaving his crew to attend the injured. He battered soaking leaves from his path as he flew after the glimpses of red, ignoring the sting of branches scraping his skin. "Vincent! Godsdamnit, stop!"

He pushed through a thicket and stumbled to a halt. Across from him stood the monster – Vincent – on the other side of a small, shallow stream. Bizarrely, it reminded Cid of the very stream he had found Vincent by all those weeks ago, when he had stopped to refill their water canteens.

Cid stared dumbly. His mind was strangely empty of emotion. "Are you okay?"

The creature didn't respond, and instead turned its – his – glowing yellows eyes from Cid's. The bullets had torn through the muscle of his calf, bleeding profusely.

For a long time the patter of the rain through the trees and the departing thunderstorm provided the only sound. Cid took advantage of the time to study his friend, his teammate. He realized that, while this creature's eyes were yellow, they weren't the same golden abnormality that he'd seen before in Vincent's red eyes. Did that mean there were more secrets hidden in that body?

"I never knew just what he was capable of…" Cid's mouth spoke without permission from his brain. "Hojo."

Those yellow eyes flashed at the man's name, but returned to glare at the ground. He was covered in a fine coat of fur, slick with water. Where his black hair would have been there was a long, thick white mane, and crimson fur beneath a canine-esque muzzle. Ears, or horns, poked up from his head. His overall appearance was quite… menacing.

Neither of them did anything for a few seconds longer. Then Cid's legs carried him forward again. The movement drew an uneasy shift from Vincent, who eyed his approached carefully. The pilot splashed through the stream and stepped up the bank.

"C'mon, let's get that leg seen to." Even as he said it he realized it was unnecessary. The blood flow had slowed almost completely, and before Cid's eyes the bullets slid out from the open wounds and fell to the ground. It clicked: Vincent's monster form had mega accelerated healing. "Whoa, okay… That's pretty impressive…"

A second later Vincent hunched, crossed his forearms before his head and was engulfed in a ball of dark, opaque energy. Cid stepped back, gawking. The energy eventually faded, and where the monster had stood, Vincent's human form swayed. Cid caught him as he leaned forwards.

"Holy shit," Cid exclaimed. "A-are yer alright?"

"'M fine," the gunman mumbled, detaching himself from Cid's grip. "Let's return to the ship."

As he began to stride away, Cid caught his arm, halting him. "Hey…" He paused, feeling strangely befuddled with the recent events. "Yer saved our asses back there. Even though I tried to, yer know, attack yer… it was pretty damn amazin'. So, thanks."

Vincent seemed to consider his gratitude, but Cid suspected he was trying to organize his own chaotic feelings into a verbal response. Finally, he said simply, "We're a team, are we not?"

A grin slipped free as Cid fell in step beside him. "So, do I have to buy the other 'you' beers, too?"

/


	25. Human

**Journey**

/

Stepping back aboard the _Highwind_ with his team in one piece (more or less) and with their mission accomplished (more or less) felt like moving into another time; a time when they weren't all caked in blood, mud and rain, scratched and injured, sore and battered. She welcomed Cid with warmth and shelter, and he could almost feel her affection towards him for his earlier protective actions. He trailed his fingertips along a wall, thanking whatever name of fortune that had looked down on her through the recent pandemonium.

The rain continued to lash at the airship as Cid guided Yuffie down on a spare cot in the infirmary. Berto, Morrey, Jurdun (who miraculously escaped anything worse than a few scrapes) and Red were already there. Thomas had his hands full attending to them. His medic assistant, a young man called Terrell, was a first-aider in training, but was proving a proficient helper.

"I hate Shinra," Yuffie moaned as she slowly leaned back onto the pillow. Mud splattered her arms and legs, staining her clothes, and one half of her face was red with blood. The gauze on her temple was as dirty as the rest of her clothes. Cid knew he didn't look any better.

"You owe me a new scarf, yer know?" He told her, mockingly stern.

Her nose crinkled in scorn. "After all this and you want a _scarf_?"

He was about to retort back but the words faltered before he could utter them. Cloud had bought him that scarf, but Cid didn't want to lower morale any more by mentioning their former leader. Instead he said, "Yeah, and I'll hold yer to it." And he left the infirmary before Thomas could prevent him.

As the door slid shut behind him, the lights dimmed noticeably above his head before flashing back on. He sensed power was in the process of being diverted somewhere. After this fiasco, their main priority was to get engines back online so they could disappear from Shinra's detection again. Cid wouldn't relax until they had; he still wanted to know how they had found the _Highwind_ in the first place.

Cait Sith came bounding down the corridor he was currently walking along. "Cid! You did it! Oh, it's good to see you're…" he noticed Cid's wild appearance. "… in once piece. My gods, what have you _been_ through?"

Cid shook his head, feeling a sting at the base of his neck. _Fuck, stitches are torn AGAIN._ "Yer wouldn't believe it. Now tell me how the hell Shinra managed to find us?"

Cait fell in step as the pilot strode along. "I believe they sent out scouting parties around the area. Heidegger probably figured we wouldn't be far, not a huge assumption considering the damage the _Highwind_ took."

"Well that leaves us with another problem, now," Cid griped, running a mucky hand through his equally mucky hair. "We've gotta get power to the engines ASAP."

"Okay, but shouldn't you get those injuries seen to first?"

If he hadn't drawn Cid's attention to them he might have continued to walk about unaware his entire body was in agony. His abdomen pulsed painfully where the lifeboat panel had fallen on him, his head throbbed like a bitch and there were so many stinging pains on his arms the entire appendages felt like they were being flayed. Damn cat.

"No time," Cid dismissed the suggestion without another thought. He would clean them up himself when he received an update on the ship's status. "The rest of the team's in the infirmary if yer wanna talk to them. I dunno where Vincent disappeared to, though…"

The gunman had been quiet in the lifeboat back to the _Highwind_, and as soon as they'd docked he had swept away into the depths of the ship. Cid's brain was stuck in a loop on his recent discovery. His mind was rolling in so much crap of the day's events that he hadn't actually allowed himself to dwell any further past: Vincent = monster. His processing ability was numb; he couldn't dwell on anything but his airship.

Cait disappeared to see how Red and Yuffie were doing as Cid found Holoski outside the engine room, sifting through cables and conduits behind a covering panel. He was surprised to see Cid.

"Captain, shouldn't you be in the infirmary?" Holoski asked, getting to his feet respectfully, taking in Cid's grubby appearance.

"I'm not goin' anywhere until we get my ship movin', now gimme an update."

What he learned, as he struggled to focus his attention on Holoski's words, was that as soon as Cid had taken his rescue team out, the stand-in captain had decided to prioritize the ship's engines in the hopes they could get the _Highwind_ moving and assist in the rescue. Unfortunately, even with everyone working on it, they simply didn't have enough time. _But_, they had made significant progress, and Holoski estimated a full engine revival by 1500 hours – in approximately three hours. Finally, some good news.

"We can cut that time in half now I'm back," Cid announced, turning to the engine room.

"Sir, you really should get checked out first, or at least –"

"Zip it, Holoski. I can't afford to waste time when Shinra could be sendin' out more fuckin' tanks to bomb us with." He stumbled over his own foot, boots clunking loudly. "Don't say a word," he said darkly. He could feel Holoski's eyes burning with concern into his back.

"But, Sir, it's not necessary. We have the entire crew working on it. There's nothing for you to actually help with." Holoski approached a step closer. "We've got it covered, Captain," he added. "Trust us to get the engines back online."

Cid felt the tension in his shoulders expand a moment before his crewman's words finally sank in. He was being too stubborn to see that they were on top of their problem already. They didn't need him pushing them out the way, and in his state he would probably be a liability.

Finally, the pilot nodded. "Yer right. Yer've got it covered. I'll be… somewhere, in the meantime." He strode away directionless, on exhausted legs, leaving Holoski to continue his work. He trusted his crew, it was just difficult for him to step away when he had such a take-charge attitude. The thought of working on the _Highwind_ again would have helped him forget about everything, everything but the matter at hand. He didn't want to stop and let his thoughts catch up. He didn't want to think about… the last thing that had happened.

His legs had unknowingly taken him through the corridors of the sleeping quarters. It was quiet and dark, with only small wall lights for illumination. Cid didn't know why he was wandering along this deck, perhaps because no one else would be around and his subconscious was seeking solitude to prepare for some healing. Or because on the quarters deck there was a set of visual panels along one wall that displayed a digital scenery, to compensate for the lack of windows and sunlight. Shera had suggested it after mentioning how dismal it was without. Or maybe his legs were taking him to his Captain's quarters; only, that was further around and in the opposite direction.

He was jarred from his numb oblivion when something caught his eye. Vincent was stood before the scenery panels, his dark cape fluttering eerily in a non-existent breeze. He looked from the display to the pilot's approach, his passive mask revealing nothing.

Cid stopped, blinking dumbly in the dim lighting. It was wrong that he immediately thought _monster_ when he saw Vincent, it was so wrong. But it had been clawing at his thoughts since he had walked out of those trees with him. He vaguely remembered cracking a joke about the beers, but it had been a coping mechanism, a forced jest more for himself than the ex-Turk. After that his brain had plummeted into the realm of pending darkness, where all of Cid's troubling thoughts were pushed. This one such thought began circling the edges of his mind, bringing with it flashes of a monster's face. It occurred to him that his legs had brought him _here_ deliberately; somehow knowing Vincent's location.

"How're yer doin'?" Cid eventually broke their silence, though his voice was croaky and weak to his ears..

Vincent's eyes looked away, back at the panels. The light from the landscape scenery basked him in a stark glow, and it struck Cid as tragically ironic how one man can be so beautifully handsome, and transform into something so monstrous. "Does it change your view of me, now?" He asked.

It took a moment for his words to sink in before Cid understood. He opened his mouth wanting to say no, he didn't think any different of Vincent. But the words wouldn't leave him. Because they weren't true.

Vincent's gaze had drifted, listening to the silence that gave him his answer. He closed those ruby eyes and dipped his face further behind his cape collar. "I understand. I'm sorry you had to see th –"

"Yeah," Cid interrupted, his brow knitting together to express something even he wasn't sure of. "Yeah it does change my view on yer. But probably not how _you_ think." Vincent opened his eyes and turned them to Cid. "I know yer know that I know what happened to yer…" He paused. "Kinda. And I always wondered how a man could _get up _every day and carry on after goin' through that. I don't think I'd have survived yer ordeal, I'd have gone insane. And that flat out impressed me. But to see what_ else_ that bastard did to yer – somethin' I don't even know how the fuck is _possible_ – I'm just… I'm at a loss for _words_," He caught Vincent's gaze and held it, approaching closer. "After seein' yer pick up a two ton armored vehicle, I was floored by yer physical strength, but I knew where it had come from. And then, when I saw yer transformed into whatever it was yer did, and when I realized what horrors yer _really_ did go through at the hands of that – that _fucker_, I started to wonder just where the hell _that_ power had come from. I wondered how yer still walkin' and talkin', how yer've _coped_ with the biggest fuckin' mental baggage I've ever known of." He let his words settle for a second before continuing. "I think I know which of yer strengths is _really_ the strongest…" He placed a palm on Vincent's shoulder, feeling the warmth through the cape. "I can't even begin to understand the sheer amount."

Vincent was silent for a long time. His eyes never wandered from Cid's, but many things swirled through their depths. Finally he said, "My strength, my motivation, comes from the darkness of revenge. My heart is black and tainted, thriving from the drive to carry out my one last deed." He hesitated. "I know that, when I have accomplished this, that resolution will die, and so will I."

Something painful spiked inside Cid's chest. "No. No, yer find _another_ reason to carry on. Yer don't just _drop dead_."

Something incredibly raw passed through those crimson eyes, even though nothing on the man's face altered. "I have nothing left to live for but isolation and atonement," Vincent said, his deep voice quiet. "My life was stolen from me, there will be nothing to tie me to this world once I am done with Hojo." Vincent turned from Cid's hand. "I'm sorry if that is not what you wanted to hear."

Cid forcefully spun Vincent back around, grasping both his arms. "Yer just gonna give up a second chance like that?" He demanded, feeling very angry towards the man. "Gonna lay down and die? Yer don't strike me as a _quitter_, Valentine." Vincent seemed a little surprised by Cid's outburst. "Like it or not, yer _have_ got things to live for after yer blow a hole in Hojo's brain: _Friends_. I dunno what that definition meant to yer thirty years ago, but now it means yer've got people who _care_ about yer, people who _aren't_ gonna letcha walk away and give up." He let go of Vincent's arms. "I sure as hell ain't!"

"As friends, it would be kinder to let me go," Vincent told him, emotionless. "_As_ a friend, I ask that you honor my decision."

Cid shook his head stubbornly, his neck stinging painfully. "I can't do that."

Something angry flashed in Vincent's red eyes. "Tell me, what would you do to a lame racing chocobo, suffering a broken leg that can never be healed, no longer able to perform its purpose?"

"Yer not a fuckin' chocobo!" Cid cried.

"You would put it out of its misery," Vincent answered for him. "domestic animals that have lost their purpose are redundant. I may look, talk and walk like one, but I am no longer human. You should not save your human sentiments for me."

Cid punched him. He swung back his fist and _punched_ him. He was surprised how easy it was. Obviously he expected to get slaughtered for it, but he balled his fists and glared at the gunman, expecting him to disappear inside a sphere of dark energy and for that monster to lunge out. But he didn't, he merely raised his eyes to Cid's with nothing more than irritation narrowing his eyes. Cid pointed his finger at him aggressively.

"You are _not_ redundant. And you _are_ a fuckin' human bein'!" He lowered his hand and ran it through his grimy hair. "Shit, Vince, why would yer _say_ that? Do yer honestly think no one's gonna mourn yer, that no one will be fuckin' sad when yer gone? Because I fuckin' will!"

Vincent's eyes lost their irritation and something else swam into place. He looked surprised, as though this was news to him, and that made Cid feel a stab of sadness.

"This team is the closest thing _I_ have to a family," Cid continued, his voice loud with dissipating anger. "That means _you_ too. And I don't ever wanna hear yer talk about yerself like that again." He threw up his palms. "How do yer know yer _can_ die?"

That was when it saw it, a flash in Vincent's eyes, a quick glimpse that opened his soul to Cid for a split second. A flash of genuine _fear_. Cid's words died in his throat as Vincent hastily recovered his mask and looked away. He was afraid of _not_ dying… He was afraid that he _couldn't_ die. Cid's mind whirled, beginning to understand… Vincent _hoped_ that he would die when his deed was done. He really hoped that when his vengeance was completed, his motivation would simply end and he would too. It was almost _naïve_ to think that, but Cid seriously couldn't rule it out; stranger things had happened. The human soul was capable of dying on its own, leaving the body to wither away eventually, was it really so absurd to assume that Vincent could die when he had completed his final task? That his body could cease to function the minute his soul did? Was Vincent so powerful he could _will_ away his life? That thought scared Cid; it really worried him to think of losing Vincent.

He stepped closer once again and clasped the man's left shoulder, earning him that crimson gaze. "Vince, can yer honestly tell me that, when the time comes and Hojo is dead, yer won't have found somethin' else worth livin' for? Can yer really know that?"

Those deep ruby eyes turned to him again, studying him while he mentally debated his answer. "No, I… I cannot know that. Anything is possible, I won't deny that. But I will not nurture false hope." He paused, unsure on his next words. "You are very different to me, Cid… you are wired to fight on even if there's no hope in sight, and you cannot understand that all I want is an end. I am… suffering. My _savior_ is my end, and it is part of what keeps me going."

Cid released his arm and stared. He wanted to argue more, he wanted to shout, but exhaustion had sneakily crept into his limbs and dropped its weight on him, dampening his anger and his energy. Instead of a loud come back, all he said, simply, was, "then I hope we never find Hojo."

Vincent's eyebrows furrowed in a rare display of sadness, taken aback by Cid's words. It made the pilot's heart ache all over again to see. What he wouldn't give to see a smile there instead.

Footsteps broke their strained silence, the sound of boots clunking on the plating drew louder. Jurdun appeared from the dimness, catching view of Cid.

"Captain, Thomas sent me to find –" His eyes caught sight of Vincent and he ceased his approach. "Um, to – to find you. He wants to treat your injuries." He hesitated, gaze flickering between them both but unable to draw away from Vincent. "Is everything alright?"

Cid felt a stab of anger at him, but then quashed it understandingly. Jurdun hadn't seen Vincent's actual transformation, but he had seen the monster, and he had heard Yuffie. It was probably a frightening experience for _anyone_, so he couldn't be blamed for his uneasiness.

"Everythin's fine," Cid told him. "Tell Thomas I've only got a few cuts and bruises. I'll take care of 'em."

Jurdun's eyes switched to him. "He thought you might say that, so he'll send Omar to drag you back if you're not in the infirmary in twenty minutes."

"I will tend to his wounds," Vincent spoke up, leveling his eyes at the crewman. "I will make sure they are treated."

Jurdun eyed the gunman with a nervous gaze before deciding that he would accept that. He nodded. "I'll tell Thomas…" He paused awkwardly for a second before turning and disappearing back down the corridor. His boots echoed until they could no longer be heard.

Cid turned to Vincent. "I said I'd see to 'em."

"I know you did."

"… Not gonna let me, are yer?"

"No."

Cid sighed and ran his hand absently through the hair at the nape of his neck, forgetting his ripped stitches. He hissed in pain. "Fine. My quarters are this way, there's a medkit kit there." He had no energy to refuse, and he felt obligated for the simple fact that Cid had been arguing with him no more than two minutes ago. Their arguments always seemed to end rather abruptly.

He led Vincent to his cabin quarters, punched in the lock code and shut it after they were inside. It was pitch black until he turned on the lights. He used to spend a lot of time in here, but during his command over the last three days he hadn't managed to see it much. He fetched the kit from the small ensuit and dropped it on the edge of the messy bed. Vincent hovered near the door as he watched. Cid stripped his sopping top layers and ran the water in the small shower cubicle.

"Lemme take a quick shower," he said. "You can use it after." He looked across and noticed Vincent's impeccable appearance. The mud and blood were gone, and to Cid's further surprise, the bullet tears in his leather and cape had been mended. Completely mended. "Or not… how the _hell_ did yer fix yer clothes?"

Vincent looked down at his shoulder, fingers playing over the material. "An effect of my… transformation, I believe."

While Cid was in the shower a minute later, watching the dirty water cascade from his aching body, Cid wondered why Vincent hadn't noticed his own repaired clothing, and he realized that Vincent was discovering himself just like Cid was. The man had been woken from a long slumber barely a couple of months ago; there were things he hadn't _discovered_ about himself yet. Did that mean there was more inside that body? _Could_ there be more? How strange and alien he must feel in his own skin. Cid couldn't imagine.

He didn't hang about in the shower, opting for a quick scrub to remove all the dirt and wash his hair. He usually liked to enjoy it, but he was so sore it was anything but relaxing. He toweled off, pulled on a clean pair of undies and pants that he'd taken in with him, and emerged from the ensuit to find Vincent sat on the edge of the bed with contents of the medikit on the comforter. When he looked at him, Cid felt the heat from the shower return. At least, he thought it was because of the shower.

"You're bruised," Vincent observed, his eyes fixed on Cid's abdomen.

Looking down, he was surprised he hadn't even noticed it in the shower. A large, purple bruise had formed across his left hip, across his taut navel to his bellybutton, ugly in color and painful just to look at. He returned his gaze to find Vincent's eyes lingering, but they quickly darted up to his face, emotions hidden.

"No ribs broken, just bruised," Cid stated, pressing a hand to the back of his neck, where the pain throbbed the most. "Yer gonna have to replace those stitches yer did for me," he said, walking across the cabin to drop heavily beside Vincent on the bed, already feeling warm blood under his palm. "Thomas already redid 'em after the whole fiasco with the Shinra. I'd be surprised if there's enough skin left to tie back together." They were really going to have to procure another cure materia.

Strangely, as he turned his back to Vincent and the man began disinfecting the wound, Cid felt his body slowly relaxing, despite the pain. He wondered if it was because he was finally sat down, taking the weight from his feet after being on them for most of the day. His muscles tightened somewhat when the sharp stabbing of the needle began, but after a few minutes of careful sewing, Vincent tied off the last suture and Cid's body loosened once again. Before he could turn around, Vincent started dabbing at the top of his shoulder, and only then did Cid feel the faint throbbing from the wound there. Seemed he had more than he was aware of.

Silence had fallen between them, and Cid found it sinking heavily on his ears, although strangely it wasn't uncomfortable. The quiet sound of working was actually soothing, but Cid could also hear his own heart beating loudly in his ears, hard thumps from the recent hot shower. He listened as it eventually slowed to a languid rhythm, while Vincent dabbed at numerous cuts and scrapes along his back, gently moving across his skin with care. Droplets of water fell from his hair down his spine, stinging a few untreated scrapes. Cid felt pleasantly exhausted, closing his tired eyes as he sat still. On the back of his eyelids he saw the image of Vincent's monster.

"Galian," he realized aloud, remembering when Hojo had spoken. Vincent's hand froze. "Is that what yer other form is called?"

The gunman was silent for a long time, his barriers snapping up almost audibly. After a few moments his hand moved again over Cid's shoulder blade. "I believe so, yes…"

Strange answer, but then nothing about Vincent was normal. "Can yer control it? When yer transform?"

He knew he'd crossed a sensitive line when Vincent's hand disappeared from his back and the gunman said nothing. Cid looked over his shoulder, ignoring the tugging pain. Vincent's eyes were lowered.

"You _are_ allowed to tell me to shut the fuck up, yer know?" Cid told him.

Those ruby eyes lifted. "I am… unused to talking about it," he said.

"Do yer _want_ to?"

At this question Vincent looked straight at him, a glimmer of indecision played across his face. His lips parted but he couldn't seem to work out an answer. It was almost as though he wanted to say something, but his words would conflict with himself. It occurred to Cid that, usually, victims of tragedy and torture would go through a long healing process with someone qualified to counsel them. Vincent had gone through something that should have legitimately left him as an unresponsive _shell_ in a mental ward, and he'd had _no one_ to talk to about it. Avalanche couldn't be blamed, they were going through their own shit and Cid knew from past mentions that they had been wary of him. Vincent had kept everything hidden deep from day one of his awakening, and now Cid was beginning to question him about it.

Instead of answering, Vincent looked down at Cid's lacerated arms and took one carefully in his left hand, using his right to dab disinfectant over one of the many open cuts. He was silent.

Cid watched his face as he worked, hoping those eyes would flicker back up to his, but after a minute it was clear Vincent wasn't going to initiate any interaction. He studied his features, watching the way his eyelashes moved minutely as his eyes did, noticing how absolutely flawless his face really was. There was not a single blemish or freckle on his skin. He wondered if it felt as soft as it looked.

Before he was fully aware of it, Vincent was looking at _him_. His ruby eyes were penetrating but expertly masked of emotion, unnerving. Cid gave an invisible start, and tilted his head inquisitively.

"What?"

"You're staring at me," Vincent replied, his voice smooth and deep in the newly disturbed silence.

"I'm not allowed?" Cid asked defensively.

Vincent paused, perhaps not expecting that. His lips parted as he decided his response. "You are curious about the monster."

Cid blinked. "There's that." The man looked questioningly at him, awaiting elaboration. "_Everythin'_ about yer is curious," he added, offering a small quirky grin.

The gunman's gaze trailed away, causing Cid's heart to sink. Had he put his foot in his mouth? Vincent stripped off a band aid and applied it to a stinging wound on the pilot's forearm. "Have you heard the saying 'curiosity killed the cat'?"

Cid huffed quietly, amused. "That a polite way of tellin' me to shut my mouth or else? 'Cause 'shut up, Cid' would work just as well. But don't worry, I ain't the pryin' type. I wouldn't usually be curious at all, but yer just so…" He really did shut his mouth before he could continue.

Vincent looked at him again, his own brand of curiosity burning in his eyes. "I had not meant it like that."

Cid watched back. "What _did_ yer mean, then?"

The gunman held his gaze a second more before turning them to the band aid he had been smoothing with a thumb. He stopped and let go of Cid's arm. "Only that, even I don't know the full extent of what… Hojo did to me. I would not want you to get hurt…"

Understanding dawned slowly. Vincent had such a round-about way of answering questions, never really explaining. But Cid had subconsciously been putting himself in Vincent's shoes, and if not for that, he wouldn't have grasped the man's explanation: In a vague way, Vincent was telling Cid he didn't know how dangerous he was. Both men had developed a strange friendship, and with that sort of proximity came a risk that Vincent couldn't foresee.

"It's pointless tellin' me that," Cid offered a tired, lopsided grin. "I'm stubborn, remember? There're very few people on this planet that I hold in high regard. But those I do, I would give my life for 'em. And I wouldn't ever give up on 'em. I can easily see you as one of 'em."

This clearly surprised Vincent. His eyes darted between Cid's as his eyebrows pinched faintly. He couldn't unravel this strange being that was Cid Highwind. "After you witnessed my transformation, after you saw me for the human I am not, you would give your life for a monster?" He questioned, an air of cynicism lining his words.

Cid's grin faded. He did not want to argue this again. "Yes," he said firmly. "_You_ may not see the worth y' are, but _I_ can, and don't yer ever tell me otherwise."

Vincent's eyes were hard, but something uncertain swirled behind. He closed them briefly, gathering his argument or whatever crap he was going to spill next. When he opened them, the hard edges had softened. "Are you afraid of me?" He asked quietly.

The question stalled Cid's readying retort, aborting the argument he was going to lash out. Instead, he genuinely considered the man's question. Finally, he said, "…Not anymore."

The connotation of his answer left Vincent staring at him thoughtfully. Yes, Cid greatly admired Vincent, he was literally in awe of the man. But he'd be lying if he said there had not been a single ounce of fear towards him. Vincent was a man from fictional horror stories, a being who shouldn't really exist. Men turning into beasts was, as far as the current era knew, a taboo fantasy. To see such evidence was reality-altering; a slap in the face with a side order of chills. Only a fool wouldn't be afraid of something so inexplicable. That is, until they understand it better.

Cid was beginning to think the silence would stretch forever until Vincent finally blinked, and instead of a verbal response, he reached forward with a cotton ball between his fingers and dabbed at the skin just above the pilot's left eyebrow. The sting of the disinfectant revealed the unknown laceration there, but Cid's attention was completely on the man looking back.

When he was finished, Vincent drew back his hand slowly. "I should let you sleep," he said softly. He gathered the used medical items and rose from the bed, taking with him the warmth Cid had been feeling.

"You should sleep, too," he told the gunman, watching him. "Yer look as tired as I feel, as much as yer've been tryin' to hide it. Yer body's gone through a lot more than mine has today. There's an empty cabin at the end of the next corridor. Use that."

Vincent paused briefly before dropping the used items in the small trashcan and setting the medkit on the nearby dresser top. "I will." He said. At the door, he then added, "sleep well, Cid." And left.

Cid listened to the sounds of his boots on the metal plating fade, the sound lending evidence to his suspicion that Vincent was as exhausted as he. Once they had disappeared, he kicked his way under his comforter and gingerly set his head back in the welcoming plushness of the pillow. He battled with many thoughts all seeking prominence, but before any one of them could push their way to the front his body had shut down, seeking the much needed rest he had been denying it. He remembered only that Vincent had been on the forefront of his mind that night.

/

He managed to watch the sunrise the following morning, from a different beach many miles away from the lagoon. Holoski had managed to engage engines and had moved the _Highwind_ sometime last night. Having conked out in the middle of the previous day, Cid had slept through it completely. As a consequence he had woken early. The storm had completely disappeared, but there were plenty of clouds hanging about, threatening more rain across what looked like the entire west coast. Nonetheless, that meant more canvas for the rising sun to cast a marvelous pallet of dawn colors upon. When he had seen enough, Cid returned inside from the outer deck.

He ached like _hell_. His whole body urged him that movement was ill advised, and walking brought throbbing pain with every footstep. His neck hurt like crazy yet again, and he wondered if there was any way for them to obtain a cure, because very soon he and his team would be breaking into Shinra to rescue Tifa and Barret, and he just _knew_ those stitches wouldn't last. Was it sick delight that he half hoped they wouldn't, just so Vincent could sew him back up again? During these increasingly occurring moments between them, Cid managed to gleam a little bit more insight into that strange and tragic man, and he would be lying if he told himself he didn't want to learn more.

After finding his second in command and receiving an update, Cid's next stop was the infirmary to check on his injured crew. The infirmary door SWOOSHED open and he stepped inside to find all but Thomas asleep. Well, it was still very early.

"Captain," the medic acknowledged in a hushed whispered, looking pleased that Cid had returned. "How are you feeling? Did your teammate patch you up?" He didn't wait for an answer before he was checking Cid out, turning his face and scrutinizing Vincent's work. "Yes, nicely done. Then what do I owe this visit?"

Cid cast his eyes around his sleeping crew. "How are they?" He asked quietly.

"No one was seriously harmed. Morrey will be out of commissions for several days, and Berto won't be doing anything too strenuous with that broken arm, but that's the worst of it. Luckily. Your two friends just need plenty of rest. How's that red-eyed companion of yours? I, uh… heard some pretty strange things yesterday."

Cid looked back at Thomas. "Vincent saved our asses from Shinra. If not for him my pitiful rescue attempt would have failed."

Yuffie stirred. "Cid?" She mumbled, pushing back her sheet and blinking herself awake. Her skin had been washed and her dirty clothes had been replaced with mint green scrubs. A fresh bandage had been taped over her eyebrow. She rubbed her eyes before turning them towards the two men. "What's going on?"

Cid moved towards her cot. "Everythin's fine, just checkin' that you guys're still alive in here."

She huffed, pushing herself onto her elbows. "Gee, thanks. Did we move last night? Are we safe again?"

"Yeah, we're back under the radar," he assured her.

She looked around the infirmary. "Where's Vincent? Is he alright?"

"Yeah, he disappeared last night, seemed fine."

Yuffie set a long, observing look gaze on Cid. "…You took it pretty well," she remarked softly, quietly, watching his face. "We, uh… we all kinda freaked out when _we_ first saw…" Her eyes drifted. "So did he."

Cid narrowed his eyes. "He did?"

She looked back up. "Yeah. We'd not long woken him up. He almost left the group, he didn't even know what he was capable of. Aerith was the one who managed to convince him back… She saw through the monster straight away… was kind to him even when we were edgy towards him... " Yuffie's eyes stared a moment longer. "Did he scare you too?"

She probably knew the answer, she saw Cid rush at Vincent, most likely with an expression of horror on his face. But Cid had been the only one to run after him when he bolted. If he hadn't, would he have never returned? Left the team as he had tried to before? The very thought brought a cold sensation to Cid's stomach.

"How many times had he transformed before?" Cid asked, his voice a low whisper, aware Thomas was working on the other side of the room.

"Twice," Yuffie replied, fingering a loose thread on her sheet. "The second time he was seriously injured in a monster fight. We figured he loses control when he gets hurt badly enough."

_Makes sense_, Cid thought, realizing Vincent must have been severely injured in the lifeboat crash. "He's still _him_ when he's _it_, isn't he?"

Yuffie shrugged, a faint frown between her brow. "I think so, he's never turned on us. He protected me last night. I don't think he would have done if he wasn't _him_." She glanced over to check everyone was still out of earshot. "That transformation you saw yesterday, that isn't the only one," she added, watching him closely. "The second time he transformed he looked different, like… like a mutated humanoid. I didn't get a clear look, but it was even scarier."

Cid stared at her, trying to visualize it. "Poor bastard," he breathed. "I can't even imagine what Hojo must have done to twist his body to do that…" _It shouldn't be possible._

"I… I get the feeling there's _more_," Yuffie continued, her eyes shifting away. "Like there's something… _else_ inside him."

Cid wanted to say, _you too, huh?_ But he didn't. He let his eyes wander as he absorbed what Yuffie had told him, but his mind continued to recycle the cold thought of Vincent leaving the team. He wouldn't do that now, would he?

Promising that he'd be back later, Cid left the infirmary intending to return to the _Highwind_ repairs. He passed a few crewmen but he barely registered their greetings. His mind was rolling in echoes of Yuffie's conversation and the memory of yesterday's hectic events. He suddenly wondered if that explosion no one could explain was actually Vincent's doing; or, more precisely, his monster form's doing.

Again, moving was a painful experience and his body tried pleading him to relax, lay down, sleep, _die_, but he ignored it like he'd programmed himself to do. It was easy, especially with last night's recollection playing through his head. He had been exhausted, and many things were merely vague blurs; but the one clear imagery he remembered was that of Vincent reaching to his eyebrow, gently cleaning the wound there. Cid brushed two fingers over the small scar, recalling how vivid those crimson eyes had been. They had been soft but focused, and now Cid had the benefit of a rested mind, he realized they had been relieved and – if he wasn't mistaken – grateful. Cid would bet his cigarettes that it was due to his acceptance of Vincent's monster.

Had he not sneezed at that moment and wrenched himself from his pool of thoughts, he wouldn't have detected the hushed tones of several voices emanating from the galley. Cid entered to find much of his crew gathered. They looked up a little too quickly as he approached, guilty flickers in their eyes.

"What's goin' on?" Cid asked, suspecting something was wrong with the _Highwind_'s repairs.

None of them seemed to want to speak first, but Terrell finally broke the edgy silence.

"We were, uh… just talking, Captain," he said hesitantly. "We're just a little… concerned –"

"Afraid," someone mumbled.

" – About your, uh, companion, or, er, _teammate_," Terrell continued, looking more and more uncomfortable as he spoke. "We just – I guess we – we're just a little freaked out and were just – "

"Captain, is it _true_ your red-eyed friend transformed into a _monster_?" One of the newer crewmen asked.

Cid frowned hard. "This is about Vincent?" Some of them shifted guiltily, avoiding his direct gaze. He planted his hands on his hips and glared. "Out with it." He ordered.

"We're just a little _wary_," a woman said regretfully, Cid couldn't remember her name. "We were worried he might… _transform_ onboard. We couldn't concentrate on work…"

Cid felt anger building inside his chest. "You lot listen to me. Vincent might be different, but he is _not_ a monster. He saved _everyone_ yesterday, including you guys and my airship, and I won't have anyone treat him wrongly. Understand?"

They nodded meekly and after Cid dismissed them they filed out of the galley, keen to evade his glower. He turned to find Omar behind his worktop, watching on with a pensive expression.

"You can't really blame them," he said softly.

Cid pressed his lips together disapprovingly. He wondered why their fear of Vincent bothered him so much. Perhaps it wasn't so much that they were afraid of him, and more so the way they banded together to whisper about it.

"Cid," Omar's serious tone drew the pilot's attention. "_Is_ he a danger to anyone?"

Eyeing his old friend, Cid considered his answer. He couldn't honestly say, 100%, whether Vincent could lose control and hurt someone, because there were still many things Cid didn't know about the man. But he did know he trusted Vincent; a trust that would take anyone else much longer to earn. The fact that he could admit this, after knowing the gunman for a short amount of time, was a startling revelation to Cid. And he couldn't even explain it clearly.

Finally, Cid answered. "Not to anyone onboard this ship, no."

Omar watched him a second more before nodding in acceptance. He said nothing more.

/


	26. Attack on Junon

**Journey**

**AN:** Hi everyone. Hope you all had a good holiday and New Years. Yet again I've made you wait, sorry, I had a hard time writing out this chapter.

/

Repairs continued on to the next day. Cid lent his help to the team working on the exterior deck, replacing the damaged hull panels and recycling what they could, all through the dismal rain that poured across the coast. It kept him occupied for many hours, and only when the sun dipped behind the horizon did they call it a day. Their section was almost complete, and it was clear the _Highwind_ would be fit and healthy within the next couple of days, even at the cost of his own wellbeing. He ached like hell from the other day.

Having been working hard over the past twenty four hours Cid hadn't seen his Avalanche teammates at all, and it was as he was working at a wall panel in the galley did he finally see Red and Yuffie. They appeared in search of food and company as Cid was prying off a circuit casing in order to reach a power line. Red limped to his side, his hindquarters injury treated but uncovered. Cid suspected medical tape and gauze wouldn't be comfortable on fur.

"Hey, furball," Cid greeted, ruffing up the fur on Red's head. "How yer feelin'?"

"Better now I'm able to walk about," the hound replied. "I've decided sedation is my most hated feeling. I was consciously-aware in Hojo's captivity but almost completely paralyzed. It is the worst experience."

Cid turned back to the panel he was reaffixing. "We'll get that bastard, don't yer worry."

"I look forward to witnessing his demise."

Cid couldn't agree more. Although, his hatred of Hojo had grown tenfold since he'd discovered the full extent of devastation he'd inflicted upon Vincent. He didn't even loath Rufus as much, and the President had pretty much destroyed his dreams.

"I'm looking forward to finally experiencing airship travel, as well," Red said, drawing Cid back from his thoughts. The hound cocked his head, a light smile on his muzzle. "Weeks ago you said you would like to show me the thrill of flying, and though it may not be quite like your small plane, I can at least enjoy a flight aboard the _Highwind_."

Cid blinked, pleased Red had remembered despite all the chaotic events of recent. "Yer bet yer furry ass yer'll enjoy it," he replied. "When we've rescued Tifa and Barret, we can _finally_ fly around the world." He picked up a couple of his tools that he'd been using and rose to his feet. "I'll take yer above the clouds. How's that sound?"

"That sounds great," Red smiled.

Just a couple more days and Cid could show his team the joys and beauty of flying through the skies. He could show Vincent there was something worth living for.

But it wouldn't be a couple of days, in fact it would be sooner. Barely an hour later Cait Sith found Cid, practically ambushing him as he stepped out of the W.C.

"I've located Tifa and Barret!" Cait said quickly by his ankles, ignoring the severe scowl he received for his timing. He balled his little fists in a display of anxiety. "But they don't have long at all!"

Cid frowned down at him, remembering a similar conversation when the cat had found Red and Vincent. "Why not?"

"Scarlet's going to broadcast them across the public networks and blame them for unleashing those giant monsters," the robot explained, his strange accent garbling his words to the extent of Cid having to mentally replay them. "She's going to _execute_ them on national channels!"

Cid's eyes widened. "_What_? Can Shinra _do_ that? What the fuck good will killin' 'em do?!"

"If Shinra can slide the blame to someone else, faith in the company will be restored," the robot explained hastily. "People are scared, and they're looking for someone to take their resentment out on."

"Where are they?" Cid demanded. "When're they gonna get executed?"

"They're being held in the detention block at the main complex building," the cat replied. "Scarlet's setting up the old gas chamber for midday tomorrow!"

Cid gritted his teeth. "That bitch!"

"Cid, we need get moving – fast. Is the _Highwind_ going to be ready?" Cait asked, a heavy note of worry in his voice.

"She'll have to be," Cid said, storming down the corridor with the little cat by his side. "But Shinra're gonna be on alert for us after the rescue we already pulled. Gettin' in the city with my airship is gonna be tough."

"Then I guess it's time for me to play my trump card," Cait said resolutely. His face appeared thoughtful despite his lack of expression. "I need to return to the city. I can infiltrate the complex and rescue Barret and Tifa from within."

"On yer own?" Cid questioned, feeling a nag of mistrust. "I can't just sit and do fuck all, not when their lives are on the line."

"You won't be doing nothing," Cait said as they turned into the galley once again. "You'll be ready with the _Highwind_. We'll most likely need a hasty getaway, and that calls for you at the helm."

Their discussion caught the attention of Red and Yuffie, who were still seated at a table. It only took a minute to inform them of the news, and a further hour for them to plot, argue and conceive a rescue plan with hurried speed. Whatever they kept agreeing and disagreeing on, Cid's role in any plan was always behind the wheel of the _Highwind_; it seemed his usefulness was no longer needed beyond the controls of his ship. But truthfully, his involvement was best served there.

With a hasty plan concocted, they were forced once again to wait for morning to come before anything could be put into motion. Another night of waiting, another night of worrying. Yuffie was pleased to have pushed herself into a more involved role in this second rescue mission (despite the healing she was also going through), but Red, unfortunately, was unable to pull off any useful disguise, and so would remain with Cid.

The only thing left to do tonight was to inform the crew. The ship had her thrusters functional again, but her power hadn't been racking up consistent readings, therefore the engines were receiving fluctuating energy levels, which could become a problem during a getaway. The crew would need to work hard to fix it before the rescue. It took a quick explanation to Holoski before Cid felt he could retire for the night. He felt tired and drained, having given himself little to no breaks throughout the day.

However, before even thinking of sleep, he had one more person to inform on the current situation. Calling in at the galley for a third time, Cid grabbed two beers and a small bowl of refrigerated noodles and made his way to the sleeping quarters. He jabbed an elbow on the door twice and waited. He assumed Vincent was still in the spare cabin, no one had seen him all day.

He was confirmed correct when the door opened and Vincent stood before him. His cape had been removed, as had his gun holster.

"Beer and food," Cid announced, pushing the dish into Vincent's hands. "Mind if I join yer?"

Vincent considered the noodles before glancing at the beers. His expression seemed to ease, if only a little, and he moved aside for Cid to enter. The door closed behind as the Captain did so.

"Came to update yer on current affairs," Cid began as he sat down on the neat bed and leant back against the end post. The cabin was lit only by the dim light of the small nightstand lamp. The red cape hung from a hook on the wall, and Cid was pleased to note that, although remade, the bed looked as though it _had_ been slept in.

Vincent lowered himself by the pillows at the other end of the bed, cupping the bowl in his lap as he waited patiently for Cid to continue, but before he did the pilot held out both bottles.

"I forgot a bottle opener," Cid said nonchalantly, offering a lopsided grin.

Vincent took one bottle, a light expression of amusement dancing on his features. He uncapped it with his gauntlet easily before handing it back and taking the other for himself. The hiss of the bottle pressure was loud in the quiet air.

Cid took a quick gulp, savoring the cool, bitter taste. He exhaled noisily, and belatedly tipped the bottle to his friend. "I'm good on my word," he said. "I gotcha that beer."

"Indeed," Vincent answered, his deep voice quiet, probably due to lack of use in the past day. He took a more graceful swig from his bottle, his throat working as he swallowed.

"We've got a location on Tifa and Barret," Cid finally said, watching with more focus than he thought he could lend. "We're bustin' em out tomorrow. If we don't, Scarlet's gonna have 'em executed on national television."

Vincent blinked in surprise to this, his brow creasing as he fixed his eyes on Cid's. "I did not think Avalanche's brand of rebellion would warrant a death sentence."

"It wouldn't, usually," Cid replied, absently brushing the healing lacerations on his arm. "But they're gonna be blamed for releasin' those giant creatures from the mountain. They've been tearin' up places all over the world."

Vincent's frown hardened a fraction. "Shinra is using them as scapegoats," he surmised.

Cid thinned his lips gravely, angrily. "Those bastards. Rufus is the worst thing to happen to that company. I thought he'd change it all, thought he wouldn't follow his dad's footsteps. Fuckin' _nooooo_."

Vincent watched him, adopting that strange, observant expression, one that resembled a curious predator eyeing a prey too interesting to kill. Cid felt that odd little niggle in his chest and took a swig of his drink to smoother it.

"It seems Shinra is still destroying lives," Vincent said softly, "Some things never change…"

Cid lifted his eyes and found them locked with his. He couldn't explain the sensation that ran down his spine, or the way his chest tightened. "Maybe it will with us."

Vincent's head tilted very slightly as he regarded the pilot. "Perhaps it will."

They watched each other for a few seconds more, the silence comfortable and warm. Cid found himself mesmerized, fascinated with the flecks of amber circling the man's irises. Even when he took a sip from his bottle their eye contact remained unbroken. Cid gestured to the neglected noodles.

"Yer wanna eat those before they get cold," he said, failing to suppress a grin.

Vincent looked down at them as though he had forgotten they were there. Cid's humor was not lost on him as his eyes twinkled, amused. He took the fork Cid had handed with them and dutifully began eating.

/

Cid didn't sleep well that night, and when the early morning rolled around he felt as though he hadn't gotten any rest at all. He admitted he was concerned, two of his friends were set to be framed and killed, and if this rescue attempt didn't succeed, Tifa and Barret would be gone. Just like Cloud. Just like Aerith. Cid had begun caring for this bunch of freaks, and despite what exterior he wore, the loss of a member gouged a painful hole inside him. He _couldn't_ lose Tifa and Barret.

The conversation with Vincent last night had lasted longer than he had thought. He'd informed the gunman on the rescue plan, regretfully telling him that, like Red, he was too high-profile to be any help and so would remain on the _Highwind_ with Cid while Cait and Yuffie stole away into Junon. They talked of possible scenarios going wrong and then of impossible feats going right. Cid laughed, Vincent listened, they both conversed. Only when he had to leave did Cid realize that his visit to Vincent had proven to be an effective wind down to a busy day, and it had been some reluctant that he finally went.

Yuffie and Cait left on a lifeboat that morning, after Cid had given it a once-over. He gruffly wished them good luck, and "not to get themselves fuckin' killed." Vincent had emerged with Red to see them off, silent as he watched them leave. The rain had let off, and the sun had finally appeared. Spiteful bastard.

When the lifeboat had disappeared, Cid double checked his phone was on. Cait would update him if anything went wrong or changed, but he would also be telling Cid when to get his ass to Junon. Cait couldn't guarantee exactly when he would be fleeing with Tifa and Barret, and it was this vague plan that left Cid with insomnia and apprehension. But no matter what turbulent feelings he had, he refused to show them. In all his years as a Captain, showing negative feelings always affected the crew, and therefore the mission. He couldn't afford that.

"It will take them almost three hours to reach Junon," Red said, reciting Cid's estimation from last night. "How long will it take for the _Highwind_ to get there?"

Cid squinted against the bright sun and ocean wind. "Barely two." He would move the airship closer to Junon nearer the time of the execution. With her scramblers they were relatively safe, but there was a possibility Shinra now knew about that. This whole plan was looking more and more risky, and almost completely relied on Secret Agent Cait. That was a lot of trust in a man who had yet to identify himself behind those controls.

"I hope they make it safely," Red said, watching the waves below them, his focus lost in their depths. The fire on his tail fluttered erratically in the breeze.

Cid ran a hand over his face absently, blinking his tired eyes. "They've got the easy part. We've got the hard one: Waitin'." He gritted his teeth to suppress a yawn. When it passed, he added, "worst thing is waitin'." He turned away from the view and headed for the hatch, leaving Red and Vincent. "One more thing to check and then we'll make our way closer to Junon."

He found Holoski a few minutes later and together they sought out the cause of the fluctuating energy. Over an hour later all engine readings were stable and strong. Despite a few unrepaired panels the _Highwind_ was finally healthy once again. Cid ran a hand lovingly along the wall in the system control room as Holoski disappeared with a smile on his face. The ship was ready for another mission, and without the threat of her engines dying, Cid felt more confident in the plan, more secure.

It was time they moved. But before reporting to the bridge, Cid went back to the outer deck where Red and Vincent were still watching the sunshine bouncing off the turquoise waves.

"Hey, wanna join me on the bridge?" He asked from the hatch. "Front row seats on the best airship the skies can offer."

"This is the _only_ airship," Red smiled, getting to his feet. Or paws.

"Which is why it's the best," Cid reasoned simply. "C'mon, let's get this baby goin'."

A few minutes later, as they all entered the bridge, he felt a spark of excitement in his gut, despite the worry still gnawing away. He tried to convince himself it was for the thrill of finally flying his airship, but as he cast a glance to Vincent's back, who was gazing out of the huge view window, the little spark jumped again. Okay, so maybe he was glad for the chance to show Vincent – and Red – a view of his passion, his obsession, but that didn't mean he wasn't thrilled to be behind his baby's wheel again.

"Systems?" Cid called.

"Systems are primed and ready," replied Liza from the stats workstation behind him, her hands working over the monitors.

"Engage engines and let's get the fuck to Junon!" He declared. It felt like he had never left the helm, like the years he hadn't been behind the controls had never happened. He clicked right back into place like a temporarily misplaced puzzle piece.

The ocean began to roll away beneath them as the _Highwind_ picked up speed, pulling the land towards her. The airship soared away smoothly, compensating for wind turbulence with the perfection he had bestowed her with. A tingle ran through Cid's blood as the humming of the engine vibrated through the soles of his feet, reminding him of the comparison between the throaty roar of the _Tiny Bronco_ and the smooth purr of the _Highwind_. He loved them both equally.

Cid ordered a constant vigil on the ship's stats, knowing that after the damage and repairs the first hour of flight was pivotal; vibrations, heat and use could shake loose any unsecured parts and cause problems, especially due to their haste fixing the _Highwind_ back up.

"It's incredible to watch the land go by," Red commented from his vantage by the window, captivated by the view.

Cid was pleased by his enjoyment and glanced at Vincent, who seemed to be watching the world go by with just as much focus. He doubted the gunman had ever experienced flight, as airships had been non-existent thirty years ago. Helicopters used to be the only form of air travel and even so, only for the privileged. Cid himself had changed that with his ambitious ideas and fierce determination. To provide Vincent with this experience brought a sense of pride.

The flight to Junon passed even quicker than Cid had estimated. His navigation display informed him they were approaching the north of Junon forty minutes later. A twist of anticipation knotted Cid's stomach as the face of their situation came back to him. He felt like a blind man in a fight he had no assessment of; he could see nor hear what was happening, and as Cait Sith had been his informant on Shinra's activities, he had no clue how the execution was panning out. He had entrusted the safety of Tifa and Barret to a robot and a teenager. When they write the history books this will go down with a snort of ridicule. Or, depending on the outcome, a scowl of pity.

"We're within sensory detection range," Liza warned, casting a look at her Captain. "Although, there's no indication we've been had…"

"Yet," Cid mumbled darkly under his breath. He steered the airship around the looming cliffs, watching the terrain map on his station shape the outer borders of Junon. The bridge was silent, holding a collective breath in the hopes that their force of will would render them undetectable. A few more hundred yards and he brought her to a stop. They were close enough to await Cait's call. They could do nothing until then. Cid hated it.

After a long bout of silence on the bridge, Red finally broke the air. "Do you think Cait Sith can be completely trusted?" He turned his questioning eye on Cid, waiting for an answer.

Cid considered his answer; an uncommon occurrence for him, impulsive as he was. "A few weeks ago I would have said no… but I've seen some damn remarkable things lately."

Red cocked his head. "Whoever is behind Cait's controls is risking imprisonment; that at least shows some trait of character."

"Let us wait until our team is back together," Vincent spoke up, "before we judge his loyalty."

Cid watched him as he turned his red eyes back on the cliffs. There had been a clear tone of mistrust in his voice, and an emotionless mask that held no evidence of pending hope. Vincent did not reserve any optimistic feelings for a Shinra employee. Understandable.

"We will never truly be back together," Red said quietly, turning his eye to the view once again, leaving his words with a mournful tang.

Cid felt a pang in his chest. No, they wouldn't.

The tannoy system spluttered to life, startling them all, and Jo's voice filtered around them. "Captain, I've found the live broadcast from the Shinra feed, I can patch the audio thr – "

Before she could even complete her task the wail of a single alarm cut her off, and the entire bridge was pitched into a flash of warning red light.

"What the hell?" Cid shouted. He whirled around to Liza.

"Radar's picked up one of those creatures," she said hastily, eyes dashing across her console as she read the information there. "It's heading straight for Junon! Towards Us!"

"Ah shit, not now!" Cid growled, turning back to the ocean laid out before them. He saw nothing for a moment, and then there it was; far, far away, on the horizon line was a swell in the ocean.

"It's moving at an incredible speed!" Liza exclaimed. "It'll be here in minutes!"

Cid cursed again, storming over to the console to see with his own eyes. "Damnit, if things get really ugly we're up shits creek again."

"Should we contact Cait Sith?" Red asked, ready on all fours as he switched his attention to and from Cid and the horizon.

Cid shook his head. "No, there'll be a lot goin' on in there right now, this might provide the distraction he needs." He eyed the ocean again. "But it could mean a lot _more_ trouble gettin' 'em out."

"What's that?" Red asked abruptly, turning his attention to the cliffs blocking their view of Junon.

"What?" Cid frowned, following his line of sight.

"That sound…" Red said slowly, tilting his head in an attempt to hear better. "Vibrations in the air." He looked back at Vincent as though for confirmation. "Something big."

Cid assumed he could feel the wake of the monster heading towards them. But as he opened his mouth to say as such, a deep, mighty BOOM blasted from the city beyond the airship, and something shot away from Junon with the speed of a missile.

"The cannon," Cid realized.

They watched, from their unspoiled view of the open ocean, as it soared in a blur of white hot energy out to the far sea, an immense distance for any projectile. It hit a few seconds later, exploding into the water, throwing up a bright white mushroom cloud, followed a second later by a rapidly-moving shockwave. Luckily it dissipated before it reached Junon.

"Whoa," one of Cid's crew said behind him. Every pair of eyes was fixated on the explosion site, straining their vision to see if the creature had been destroyed by the cannon. Far across the ocean, something split the water. Something huge and most definitely alive.

"Shit," Cid said under his breath, unable to tear his gaze away from the speck in the distance as it was quickly moving closer. "It's still alive."

A continuous volley of smaller bullets spat across the sea from Junon as the military obviously came to the same conclusion. But if the largest cannon in the world didn't stop the monster, some tiny little pea shooters wouldn't even make a dent.

"The speed and size of it…" Red awed, his muzzle close to the glass.

Liza dashed back to her consol. "It's two miles out and closing fast! It's reaching seventy knots!"

Cid threw a look her way, eyes wide. "Fucking Shiva!" He dug a hand into his pocket and brought out his phone, already fingering the buttons. "Distraction or not this bastard could royally fuck up the rescue, as in get them damn well killed!" He pressed the device to his ear, but several long seconds ticked by painfully and he received no answer. "Fuck," he snapped it closed.

"One mile!" Liza called.

Cid looked up out the glass dome. The creature was clearly visible as a colossal mound of water heading straight for Junon. The bow wave alone could probably take out the front line of the city.

"Can we do anything?" Red turned from the sight to look desperately at the Captain.

Cid's brow furrowed as he regretfully shook his head slowly. "If I move the Highwind into Junon that thing'll probably crush us. Or them turret bullets'll tear us apart."

"Impacting in ten seconds!"

They watched in horrified fascination as the mammoth creature charged through the ocean before them. It was surreal to Cid, to look on from a safe distance hovering outside of the city as it grew in size with every second until WHUM – it rammed into the solid wall separating Junon's defenses from the water, unseen but not unfelt from their position. The impact resounded through the air, vibrating the airship, but as Cid watched on he realized they weren't quite out of danger. The huge wave that the monster had churned up radiated outwards in all directions – including theirs.

"Fuck! Engines!" Cid bellowed, bolting for the wheel even though he knew it was too late.

The _Highwind_ was thrown back in the air as the wave hit her. Had she been elevated twenty foot higher the wave would have barely lapped at her belly. Unfortunately she was pushed like a flimsy boat in a wild storm, throwing everyone around like bowling pins. The recently repaired and tender stabilizers screamed in warning as they tried to upright the ship, causing electrical components to spark on the bridge, showering Liza in a brief light display.

Cid's hand lost its hasty grip on the wheel; he stumbled and lost his footing as he tumbled down the steps behind him. His ribs took a battering but he was rolled forward again as the ship swayed back, almost head butting the edge of the bottom step.

The _Highwind_ leveled herself and everyone was able to steady themselves. The sounds of the gunfire from Junon continued, dulled in the bridge by the distance.

"Sound off," Cid half choked, his lungs giving out on his last syllable. His body was still sore from the previous rescue, so it didn't appreciate the recent knocking about. He clutched his stomach as he rose to his feet, listening to his crew and Red call out their wellbeing. Cid lifted his head and looked around for Vincent. He was still at the glass, clutching the railings and focused entirely on the raging waters that the unseen monster was tossing up at Junon's front door. "Vince, you okay?"

Vincent didn't answer, but Liza read from her screens. "Got away with nothing but straining on the stabilizers, Captain," she said. "We were lucky."

"Junon isn't," Holoski said as he entered the bridge. He stopped at the glass dome. "That thing is gonna tear the city apart…"

Cid spared him a glance before hobbling up the stairs. His neck was starting to sting and he would be _so_ pissed if it had ripped open yet again. He cast his eyes on Vincent again, coming to a stop behind him. "Vin –?" The name stalled in his throat as he saw the flicker of gold in the gunman's eyes.

"Sapphire Weapon," Vincent whispered.

Cid stared hard. "What?"

"Cid look!" Red called.

The pilot's eyes lingered on Vincent before they tore away to follow Red's direction. The monster had risen from the blanket of the ocean, towering like a skyscraper as it loomed in the Junon waters. It was both amazing and terrifying; a body of organic armor and ancient immeasurable strength. Its eyes were tiny in comparison, sitting like two yellow lamps in the dark hollows on its face. It would be the face of many nightmares, no doubt.

"Oh my Gods…" Liza breathed.

The strange armor around the monster's shoulders began to slide back, revealing its full face and maw. To say it looked alien was an understatement – it was hard to believe it came from beneath the mountain.

"What the - ?" Cid uttered.

A beam of bright energy erupted from the creature's huge mouth, firing upon Junon. The _Highwind_ was just out of vision line to see.

Cid dashed back to the wheel. "Movin' us in!" He yelled. "If that thing's blowin' up Junon we have _got_ to get our guys outta there!"

No one argued, but there was a tense air on the bridge as the airship slowly crept forward, willing and praying their movements would go unseen by the monster.

But it was much too preoccupied with the city. As it opened it mouth again to devastate the Shinra tower, the huge cannon it was looming before fired a second time – a shot that was far too close to avoid. The monster disappeared behind a cloud of explosion smoke, and only when it cleared did they see: its head had been blown to smithereens. Cid heard himself swear as he watched the body of the monster slowly pitch forward, throwing up the water as it sunk into the depths. Huge waves lashed at the abused city, causing further damage. Cid could have sworn he heard the body of the monster hit the seabed.

"It's dead," Red stated, almost unsure, as if they had seen an illusion.

Something started ringing. Cid vaguely felt a vibration from his pocket before his mind clicked back together and he drove a hand into his pocket. The name on the screen was Yuffie.

"Yuffie, where the hell are yer?" He shouted almost immediately. "Are yer okay?"

"We are for now," came Yuffie's voice. "I've got Barret and Cait, but Tifa's still trapped in the gas chamber. The gas was shut off, but they couldn't get her out. Can the _Highwind_ crack the chamber open from the air?"

Cid looked across the water at the Shinra tower. "From here it looks like that creature gouged a great hole anyway. I can hover above."

Barret's voice could be heard from phone connection. "You gotta get her outta there! She could be ill from the gas that _did_ get in!"

"On our way! Get over to the airport, I'm pickin' you guys up first!" Cid cut the connection, feeling a huge sense of relief. They were okay, they were alive. He urged the _Highwind_ forward, hoping they would remain safe until he could get there. Shinra would be too preoccupied with the recent attack and triumph to notice the airship if they were quick and lucky enough. And if they did, Cid would throw them whatever firepower his recovering airship could spit out.

He guided his baby around into Junon airspace, spying the airport easily and with it the tiny figures of Barret, Yuffie and Cait as they darted onto the landing. It didn't take long for him to quickly approach and hover long enough for his teammates to climb aboard. He could hear the sirens still wailing from the monster's attack, and spared a quick glance at the city's wall guard. Shinra troops were dashing about, rescuing victims from beneath rubble and ruins. They at least appeared too busy to notice the _Highwind_'s sudden presence.

"Hurry and grab Tifa," Barret ordered as he rushed onto the bridge.

"Nice to see you too," Cid sniped.

Barret clapped a hand on the pilot's shoulder. "Thanks, blondie. Got ya ship back together, huh?"

Cid worked the wheel, bringing the _Highwind_ around. "She ain't a hundred percent, but she's comin' through for me."

Barret nodded and turned to watch as they soared away from the airport. He had barely begun to scan the view when he suddenly jabbed a finger, pointing. "Look! That's Tifa!"

Yuffie appeared with Cait Sith at the glass dome, hanging onto the thin railing. "How did she get _there_? _And is that_ _Scarlet_?"

Cid squinted at the huge cannon as his ship maneuvered around. Along the barrel of the weapon as a mere tiny dot was Tifa, identifiable by her white tank top. Before her, hostile and intimidating, was the unmistakable red dress of Scarlet.

The _Highwind_'s alarms pierced the air abruptly and the warning lights flickered. Cid's eyes darted about, scouring the city for a visible threat.

"We've been detected, Captain!" Liza exclaimed. "Those turrets are turning towards us!"

"Fuck!" Cid spat. His tried hard not to look at the turret heads along the front guard of the city turning to target his airship as he forced the engines up to reckless speed.

From where she stood Yuffie whooped and pumped a fist in the air. "Go Tifa!"

Bewildered for a second, Cid tore his eyes form impending destruction to see a much closer sight of Scarlet hitting the ground as Tifa recoiled a fist. He would later regret not witnessing that piece of action, but at that particular moment he was much too worried about the bullets beginning to fly in their direction.

"Cid…" Barret began warningly, worryingly.

"I know, I know!" He snapped.

"Whoa – they're getting closer," Yuffie's voice wavered as the projectiles flew by.

"What're you _doing_?" Barret demanded as the ship descended, losing sight of their teammate. "She'll never see us!"

"Well she'll fuckin' see us when we explode in a ball of fire!" Cid growled, swinging the ship erratically in an attempt to avoid the gunfire. "Get down to the outer deck and throw down the tether – she'll have to jump as we rise!"

Barret was already running towards the exit, boots stomping heavily. Cait was right behind him.

"Hurry!" Yuffie called frantically, bouncing on her feet in anxiety. "Scarlet had armed guards!"

Heart thumping hard in his chest, Cid gripped the wheel handles until his knuckles were white and pulled his ship sharply, drawing up beneath the giant cannon, tossing his crew and team about. "Heads down unless yer want 'em blown off!" He called as the _Highwind_ ascended rapidly, thrusters straining to climb, whining in protest. She soared above the barrel opening, a gaping hole almost big enough to swallow the entire airship, up and up until the City sunk quickly out of view.

"She's on!" Yuffie exclaimed, face and palms pressed against the glass to see the outer deck. She turned and ran out the bridge, no doubt to greet her fellow female companion.

"Alright – we're outta here!" Cid declared. He pushed his ship as hard as he dared and in seconds she was high-tailing it away from Junon, chased all the while by a barrage of bullets that miraculously failed to so much as graze her. It was with a surge of victory and excitement when the ship cleared the bullet's range and lost sight of Junon, leaving behind one of the most hectic periods of their journey yet. A huge weight lifted from Cid's body and a grin broke out over his face as Barret and Tifa entered the bridge, followed by Cait and Yuffie.

"Sure sailing there, fly-boy," Barret praised loudly, a grin on his own lips.

"Whoohoo!" Yuffie danced. "We made it out in one piece, yeah!" She gripped her stomach suddenly and then the gauze bandage on her forehead. "Ugh. In all the excitement I didn't even feel sick until now… bleugh…"

"Don't yer dare throw up on my ship!"

"Thanks for the rescue, Cid," Tifa smiled gratefully, catching the pilot's attention. On her temple was a small, circular band aid where she had sustained an injury seven days ago. "I thought I was going to die in that gas chamber…"

"You must have been very frightened," Red said as he approached, reaching up to meet Tifa's petting hand.

Her smile wavered, she was pale and obviously still a little shook up from the ordeal – not to mention the death leap she'd just taken and the threat of armed troops on the cannon. She'd gone through a lot in such a short time.

Barret took her arm gently in one large hand. "Tif, I'm so sorry I couldn't get you outta there… I thought I'd lost you…"

"It wasn't your fault," she told him softly, gripping his hand. "What matters is we're all okay, we're all alive, and we're all free."

Cid let a few seconds for her words to linger before opening out his arms and gaining everyone's attention. "With that said, I can finally fuckin' say: Welcome to my airship – the _Highwind_!"

A pleased grin graced Tifa's features as everyone exchanged smiles, realizing that the skies were now theirs, and they were once again a team. They could breathe freely and relax for the first time in what felt like forever. But they knew it wouldn't last for long. Already Cid could feel that pang deep within, a nasty reminder that their team was far from whole and they had yet to properly mourn their missing leader. And even now he could see the short-lived joy fading from his team's eyes, replaced with the weight of the problems they now had to face: Meteor, giant monsters, and an elusive madman hell bent on crushing the world.

The saying 'no rest for the wicked' apparently applied to the good guys, as well.

/

**AN:** Cid's getting a little bit closer to Vinnie, woot. I know it's slow, but to me I feel it would happen like that. Hope you liked it.


	27. Mideel

**Journey**

/

**AN:** I have a longer chapter than normal for y'll this time.

/

After checking and double checking that there were no tails on their scent, no Shinra hounds taking chase, Cid eased the _Highwind_ down to a leisurely speed and allowed Holoski to take the wheel while Avalanche caught themselves up on all the details that were segmented between them. Cid suggested they take a break in the galley, and they readily agreed.

As they trudged out of the bridge, he turned back to find Vincent had remained at the glass, staring out at the ocean and appearing lost in his thoughts. The pilot approached, catching sight of the man's original red eye color. Why had they turned golden back then? Vincent hadn't looked angry, and that was so far the only cause of the anomaly.

"Hey, yer joinin' us?"

Vincent looked to him before his eyes flittered around the bridge, finding it empty of Avalanche members. He hadn't heard the previous conversation.

"Debriefing in the galley," Cid summed up, jerking his head towards the exit. "C'mon, let's grab a drink."

They made their way after the others and a few minutes later settled themselves around a small table in the galley with a drink each. Tifa had opted for something hot and calming, choosing to savor the simple pleasure before they began sharing their recent exploits. It allowed Barret to ask just what in the hell had happened to the _Highwind_ after she had escaped from Shinra control. Cid found himself listening for the majority as Yuffie ploughed through their accounts, regaling the events about the damage to the _Highwind_, the disastrous rescue mission (which she dubbed the Red Rescue) that gave them all their current injuries, and the risky planning that led them to the second rescue mission. With her art of story-telling and Barret and Tifa's questions and interjections, the explanation ran on for nearly an hour. Listening to it was a lot different to living it, Cid realized. Some of their actions sounded completely wild and implausible – like how in the hell did he really miss running over Hojo? And Vincent _really_ lifted a several ton vehicle – but Cid recalled them clearly, and he truly understood what an amazing bunch of determined freaks they all were.

"Sounds like we got the easy end," Barret mused, eyeing the many healing scratches on Cid's arm, the gauze on Yuffie's forehead and the stitches in Red's hindquarters.

"Yer not kiddin'," Cid mumbled, taking a drag on his cigarette by the open door, allowing the smoke to filter out.

"I think I overheard them Turks when I was in the infirmary," Barret said, thinking back. "Sounds like it was that joker Reno in the chopper pilot seat. He was ranting about some monster destroying their –" At this he caught himself, realization dawning. His dark eyes flickered to Vincent and then for some reason to Cid's. Like a man who was on the brink of spilling a dark secret.

"Reno, huh?" Cid repeated nonchalantly, leaning against the door frame. "Wish I'd seen his face. If it weren't for Vince I don't think we'd have made it outta that mess."

"…You took down that chopper?" Barret turned his question to Vincent, a hesitation in his words, as though he was bordering on a taboo subject.

Vincent's eyes were sharp as he met Barret's gaze. "Yes."

Cid couldn't help but sense tension in Vincent's stance. It was slight, but his body had stiffened and his defenses had engaged, and he was broadcasting some pretty clear caution signals. Yet, when Cid had brought up the topic a couple of days ago in his cabin, the man's reaction had been much less aggressive. But then, there had just been the two of them.

There was an awkward, uncomfortable silence in the galley following the conversation, and for once Cid wasn't in the dark. But it was clear no one was comfortable even mentioning Vincent's beast form. They did not know how to address the subject, or how they should go about avoiding it politely while acknowledging that side of their teammate. It was strange, for Cid felt no such uneasiness towards the issue anymore and as such felt like he was still missing something. Although, if he was truthful, his initial reaction to Galian – or whatever it was called – had been shock, too, and as an attempt to understand he had chased after Vincent in a subconscious effort to conquer his fright. Maybe no one else had done that… No one else had gone after Vincent; no one else had made him feel as though he was still welcome in the group. Maybe no one else had made him feel less human.

"I'm just glad you're all okay," Tifa said, choosing to break the silence, warm eyes panning around them all.

"Someone must be looking down on us," Cait spoke up sentimentally from Barret's right. His words left a contemplative silence in the air, a welcome vibe from the previous atmosphere. Vincent had lowered his eyes, almost like he had removed himself from the group.

"What else did you guys learn in Shinra custody?" Cid asked a few seconds later, carefully breaking the respectful quiet.

Barret set his elbows on the table and cupped his half-full drink, eyeing everyone. "Shinra think Cloud's alive." Everyone looked at him, attentions immediately focused. "In fact, they seem sure of it."

"What?" Yuffie gaped, still pale with air sickness. "He's out there somewhere? How do they know?"

Barret's eyebrows furrowed a little. "I dunno… they know more than we do, so they must have better informants. Hojo seems to know everything from what I gathered."

"We've gotta go find him," Yuffie said in a rush, turning her eyes on Cid as though silently commanding him to get his ass back to the wheel and fly them into another rescue.

"If he's alive, won't be he buried in several _million_ tons of mountain?" Cid asked cynically. "How the fuck do we get to him?"

"Those Weapons climbed outta that crater," Barret began, eyes drifting to the table as he recalled what he had overheard. "They cracked open the crust and the ground swallowed everything but Sephiroth."

"Deep into the earth," Red said. "He would have fallen into the Lifestream."

"But…" Yuffie said, frowning in concern. "No one's ever come out of the Lifestream as, you know… normal again."

"Cloud's different," Tifa stated softly.

Barret nodded. "Maybe, just maybe, Cloud's alright…"

"The Lifestream sometimes gushes to the surface from cracks in the ocean floor," Red told them all. "Cosmo Canyon knows about these places."

"So he could have been carried by the current?" Yuffie asked, hope rich in her tone.

Barret nodded and turned his eyes on Red. "Where're these places?"

"Mideel," the hound answered. "Mideel is the main area for Lifestream cracks."

Several eyes turned on Cid meaningfully. He got the message. "I'm on it." He turned to the nearest wall communicator and pressed a thumb on the button. "Holoski, set a course to Mideel straight away."

It took a second for Holoski's voice to reply, confirming their change in direction and an ETA of six hours. Too long to wait comfortably. Too long to hope that their assumption would be correct.

"I can't believe he could be alright," Tifa murmured to herself, filling the silence that had fallen among them. "I mean, I hoped and prayed he was alive, but not knowing is… it's horrible…"

"We'll do everything to find him," Cait promised her, hopping off his mog into the table beside her.

She smiled, grateful. "You really came through for us today, didn't you?"

"I couldn't stand by and let Scarlet just kill you," the cat said. "I'm still completely appalled that the president would allow her to resort to such dirty actions at a time like this."

"Scarlet didn't get a look at who was under the human suit before you gassed her, anyway," Barret said, gesturing to his cat body with his drink.

"Eh?" Cid asked.

"Cait was disguised as a news guy. He whipped out some spray can of knock-out gas," Barret told them, smirking a little as he recalled it. "So unless someone saw you after you ditched the outfit your secret should still be safe."

Cait nodded. "So far it is, so I can still be of use to you all."

"Good," Barret said firmly. "You just better be taking good care of Marlene. Maybe you can keep us updated on that barrier in the north crater, too."

"What barrier?" Yuffie asked, rubbing her stomach in an attempt to sooth it.

"Haven't you detected it?" Barret looked surprised.

"Hey, we've been pretty damn busy the past week patchin' up my ship," Cid said defiantly, finishing his cigarette and stubbing it out in the table's ashtray. "Long range sensors weren't the top priority."

"Where did this barrier come from?" Red asked patiently.

The dark man looked grave. "Sephiroth."

Cid cursed. That couldn't be good. "Any readin's from it? What's it there for?"

Barret shrugged his large shoulders. "Shinra can't penetrate it, but they know that crazy bastard's inside, bidin' his time for something…"

"Well that don't sound sinister," Cid muttered, crossing his arms.

"So it's nothing to do with those monsters – those Weapons, then?" Yuffie asked, stifling a moan as she clamped a hand over her mouth and stuck close to the sink.

"No," Tifa said, speaking up. "They've been attacking mako reactors all over the planet. Rufus is furious."

"Weapon…" Something sparked in Cid's mind quite suddenly. "Those videos back at Icicle Inn." Everyone's eyes turned to him. "They mentioned a Weapon created by the planet to protect itself."

"Those Weapons are a defense mechanism? So by destroying mako reactors…" Red began.

"They're doing away with whatever's hurting the planet," Barret finished for him. "But they must not be able to sense Sephiroth through that barrier or they'd be tearing through it."

"Maybe that's the main reason for it," Red suggested gravely. "Perhaps Sephiroth can be hurt by those creatures and that shield isn't to fend off our attacks, but _theirs_."

"After we find Cloud we've gotta figure out how to take down that barrier," Cid announced, switching his weight to one foot and propping the other behind him. "Maybe we won't have to get our asses kicked by that bastard if the Weapons can off him for us."

They all agreed with a collective nod and silence befell them again as they absorbed their recent conversations. Cid's mind was whirling around the vision of Sephiroth protected inside that barrier. He had been rebuilding his body in that cave seven days ago. Was he still regenerating? Or had his body finished and he was now gathering strength?

It seemed his were not the only thoughts looking back on that day. Red looked up at Barret and Tifa in the quiet air and asked, "back in the mountain cave, when Cloud began acting strange, Hojo called him a Sephiroth clone… Is that really true?"

Tifa's eyes lowered to his, but at his question they looked through him. She was quiet for a long moment. "Cloud is… He's different to the Cloud I knew when we were young. He's been changed…"

"By Hojo?" Yuffie asked tentatively.

Tifa nodded. "His memories are wrong… they're mixed up with someone else's…"

"So, Hojo injects Jenova cells into his experiments, and now, years later, they gathered together to reform in that mountain?" Barret reiterated. "Hojo said the clones converged to Sephiroth, but we've been chasing Sephiroth, haven't we? He… he killed Aerith…"

"Those weren't the real Sephiroth," Tifa said grimly. "He's been in that cave all this time…"

"And now he's at the epicenter of a major scar that the planet will try to heal," Red said. "All that Lifestream that he will absorb…"

"It ain't gonna happen," Barret said firmly, balling a fist on the table. "We'll _find_ Cloud, and we'll _stop_ Sephiroth."

Cid took a look around the faces, all resolute and determined. A tight knot in his stomach forced him to wonder if things would go as simply as Barret's words had sounded.

/

In an attempt to pass the flight time it was put forward that they should get some rest, Tifa especially. They had hours to kill and many things to process, and no one knew what awaited them. Mideel could either bring them joyous news, or a disappointing lack of. Cid gave up his Captain's cabin as there were no empty ones now Vincent had taken then last, and Tifa gladly accepted it for a few hours. She could try and sleep, but it was doubtful she would. Especially considering Yuffie followed her out of the galley to no doubt share the luxury.

Unable to relax or take their minds from the possibility their leader could be alive, the rest of the team joined Cid for a few internal ship repairs; all except Vincent, who had been the first out of the galley. The pilot was actually glad of the company, as he was able to work on his baby and talk away to his friends. They were curious about the airship's circuitry and downright impressed with the complexity of her. It swelled Cid's heart to share his passion; rarely had he shared the presence of friends while he worked. It was a very pleasant feeling, especially to answer their curious questions about how the _Highwind_ operated, what this was, what that does, how that works and where that goes. Barret was extremely useful, he knew a bit about mechanics so Cid felt confident leaving him working on a couple of tasks. Red, unfortunately couldn't work hands on, and Cid wouldn't let Cait do anything other than pass him tools, but the novelty of them working together while talking about this and that was an enjoyable experience for Cid. He only wished Vincent was there, too.

It surprised him when Holoski's voice announced throughout the ship that they were arriving in Mideel airspace. Time had literally flown by.

Clearing away tools, the group of four headed to the bridge, apprehension leading the way. The two girls joined them, and with everyone but Vincent accounted for, together they watched the tropical town of Mideel draw closer as they approached for docking.

/

The airport for Mideel was a single slab of asphalt designed for the president's helicopter rather than a bigger vessel like the _Highwind_. However, Cid wasn't the best pilot in the world for nothing, and with precision landing, the airship was docked, and the team had descended on the outskirts of the Mideel forest.

Cid looked around them all once they were on the ground, attaching his weapon to his back. "Everyone ready?" He asked carefully, studying looks of anticipation and anxiety.

Tifa inhaled visibly and nodded purposefully, soulful eyes on the forest. Beside her, Barret hefted his backpack onto a shoulder and uttered a vague noise of affirmation, squinting at the tree line as the sunlight shone cheerily over the tropical area.

"Let's go," Tifa said.

With that, they started off for the forest, to the roped trail that led through the trees to the town. Cid found himself walking alongside Red, who, he was pleased to note, had stopped limping from the wound he had sustained. He vaguely recalled Red mentioning he had a faster healing factor than humans, lucky furball. Cid still had various aches and stings, but they were fading quickly.

A short walk through the shade of the canopy brought the team out of the denser vegetation and to the entry bridge way of Mideel. It was a popular hot springs location, but Cid had only been there a few times, and not once had he ever indulged in the leisure.

"It's so humid," Yuffie commented, wiping her brow. "I've never been here before."

It felt strange, somehow, to step foot into a populated area again after the chaos and turmoil they had recently been through. To see people wandering about with only Meteor to occasionally look at with a twinge of worry really drove home how extreme their lives were right now. Would these people look at Avalanche and recognize a group of people who had seen death and destruction? Would they sense the burden the team was carrying? Or would they merely see a group of weary friends that they would probably have forgotten by tomorrow?

One thing was for sure: Cid knew _he_ was changing if he was thinking of such deep shit.

An elderly man, leant against the wooden supports of an overhead walkway, smiled at Tifa and said, "Ahoy! Hey, ain't you a beaut!"

Barret stomped a foot forward. "Back off, gramps," he growled to the now cowering man.

Cid had to smirk in amusement, and as they walked further into town he noticed there was a lot of old people wandering about. They appeared content, as though they had accepted that Meteor was there and refused to worry about it.

"Aw, hey, look," Yuffie's voice came from beside him.

Glancing down, he found her crouched beside him petting a white, chic chocobo that wore an expression of innocent curiosity as it soaked up her attention. Tifa bent next to it with a smile on her face, and giggled for what must have been the first time since Aerith's death when it cooed at her. Then it coughed and hacked up something green, cocking its head in expectant praise for its 'gift'.

"Niiiice," Cid drawled mordantly.

"Hey, it's a materia," Yuffie exclaimed, picking up the slimy ball. Of course, the self-proclaimed materia hunter _would_ have an eye for distinguishing treasure from trash.

The little chocobo lapped up the resulting petting from both girls.

A hyper looking woman jogged over to them, hair askew. "There he is," she said in a rapid voice, frenzied eyes on the chic. "He loves running off to people, always gets fussed rotten." She observed the group through a vision that had probably seen crack beforehand. "You from outta town? How're things on the outside? People here think it's the end of the world, what with the earthquakes and Meteor." She paused a beat and gestured to the sky manically. "How depressing! What a miserable world this is. By the way, what happened to you, little girl? Did you get hit on the head?"

"Yeeaeah, here's yer chocobo, lady," Cid said dismissively as Yuffie gave the woman an openly offended look, pushing the little ball of feathers towards her with the side of his boot. "Have a nice life, _bye_." He guided Tifa and Yuffie away, sensing a chatterbox (or nutter) if ever he saw one.

"Hi there, newcomers," came a friendly voice. "Need any items, stock up on food?"

"We probably should grab what we can," Barret suggested to his team. They agreed.

The middle-aged man's shop was small but packed, with a welcome blast of cool air from the AC unit on the wall. Cid grabbed what he needed, and then grabbed more. Once he had paid for them he was the first out the shop to join Vincent under the overhang in the shade. He flashed his surplus purchases at the gunman.

"Yours," he stated. "But seein' as how yer got no pockets, I'll hold on to 'em for yer."

Vincent watched him stash them in his pack. "You seem determined to force me into more debt."

Cid grinned at his words. "Maybe I am. I'm crafty like that. But those bullets were a gift, ain't gonna hold yer to them."

"And that dinner?"

"Yer owe me a three course meal for that," Cid replied breezily.

"Assuming we live."

"Couldn't have a better reason to stay alive," the pilot shrugged flippantly, using a fingernail to pierce the cellophane around his new cigarette packet.

Vincent looked at him sidelong. "Your strongest motivation to stay alive is to have dinner with me?"

Cid paused. Worded like that Vincent's sentence gave a whole different impression, despite the mild skepticism of his tone and the intended levity. Something strangely pleasant heated his blood.

"I'm a simple man," he tried mock modesty, ignoring his body.

Vincent returned to people-watching. "I find that unfitting."

"Hm?"

"You're far from simple…"

"Who's simple?" Yuffie appeared form the shop, stuffing something into her shorts pocket. She flashed an impish smile at the gunman, watching his face expectantly, hoping he would say more.

"You are," Cid shot at her, lighting a cigarette and masterfully quashing his inflated ego. He suspected he had just received a very high praise and he wanted to savor it. Tifa, Barret, Cait and Red joined them a few seconds later.

"So, what do we do now?" Yuffie asked, having directed her attention away from Vincent, failing to coax any words from him.

Barret looked around the town square, around the locals and the tourists milling about in the sun. "I guess we ask around, see if anyone's spotted a blond haired stranger."

"With all the people visiting here, though, there could have been loads of blond haired guys in the past week," Cait said.

"Well, Cloud probably won't be walkin' around like your average Joe," Cid told him as they all drank or ate an item they'd bought. "If he crawled outta the Lifestream, he won't be actin' normal."

"He probably won't be in very good shape at all…" Cait said gently.

"The sooner we find him," Tifa began, although her tone drifted off with a finality to her words, and she stepped back out into the sun and led the way.

They followed her, unsure whether or not to feel optimistic or pessimistic about their chances of finding Cloud. Cid broke out a water bottle and downed half of it as they walked, enjoying the sun beaming down warmly on his skin. It brought back memories of when he spent hours outside working on the _Tiny Bronco_ in the summer, soaking in the UV rays with the sounds of Shera tinkering away elsewhere.

They traipsed around the town asking the locals if they had seen anyone fitting Cloud's description. Many of them shook their heads and instead questioned them about Meteor, wringing out as much conversation as they could before Barret blatantly told them they'd had enough and ordered everyone away. People seemed to want to natter away and gossip about current affairs, caring little for the team's search. Avalanche did stop and listen to a few trash talk Shinra, but there was only so many ways to call the company incompetent before it got boring. Eventually, the team found themselves spitting into two teams.

Sweating and hungry, Cid, Vincent and Red followed Yuffie up a sloping street on the west side of the little town to the entrance of a hot spring resort, surrounded by lush green potted plants and a welcoming atmosphere. They entered the reception where Yuffie attempted to book them all an evening stay with Cid's name, but he rebuffed her tactics and asked the receptionist if she knew of Cloud. She didn't.

A few minutes later found them reuniting with the others along the main street of Mideel, both teams looking lackluster and hot.

"I can guess you didn't find anything," Barret said as he gestured with a hand to a nearby café, of which had a small seating area sheltered under an awning.

"Nothing," Yuffie answered as they took seats in the shade.

"Cloud may not have surfaced here," Red suggested, lowering himself onto his belly and crossing his forepaws.

Yuffie edged forward on her seat. "Think his phone will still work? Can we ring it?"

Barret shook his head as he took out a water bottle from his pack. "It'll be fried."

Feeling thirsty, Cid rummaged for his own drink. He wordlessly held out a second to Vincent, who took it with a small nod of thanks. Cid gulped down half of his before the gunman had even unscrewed the cap.

Tifa turned her attention from them as a small, dark dog trotted over, wagging its tail when she reached down to pet it. "What's the matter?" She asked it, scratching its ear. "Are you all alone? Are you lost? No collar… Poor thing."

"I bet the locals feed him," Cid assured her, surprised how soft his tone sounded. He blamed it on the water he had just drunk.

She gave the dog a kind smile and rubbed its back as silence fell in the team, and the sounds of Mideel continued around them. Someone laughed in the distance as people chatted and talked. It didn't feel right. It didn't feel like they belonged to this world any more. They had seen and been through a lot more than anyone else, and it had changed them. Would they look at things the same way, if they saved the world?

Cid slowly twizzled the top back on his bottle and cast his eyes around the locals and tourists. It was almost like Avalanche had sat inside a veil of shade, isolating them from normality. He found his eyes flickering over his teammates and recognizing the very same feelings swirling inside them. Disappointment burned within Barret's eyes, sadness in Tifa's, and a faint despair in Red's single good one… Cid wondered how long the team would survive on this bitter morale if they didn't find Cloud.

Vincent seemed to be the only member not lost in his thoughts and the only one to catch Cid's gaze. They shared a knowing look, an understanding exchange on the condition they were sinking in, and Cid felt connected to the man in a way he couldn't really explain.

"…Guess it's been a week now since he washed up here on the shore…"

"Oh? Where from?"

"No idea, but he was carrying a huge sword. Must have been a fighter…"

Tifa snapped to attention, the dog all but ignored as they all strained their ears, hardly daring to breathe should they mishear.

"Paddy said he's both lucky _and_ unlucky… I saw him, and lemme tell you, Paddy was right. But the young guy had the bluest eyes I've ever se –"

Tifa shot up from her seat and rushed over to the two talking men. "That person you're talking about," she began with urgency as they stopped, startled by her sudden approach. "Where is he?"

One of the tanned men, locals by the looks of them, gestured up the hill to a large building nestled in a thin copse. "The clinic," he told her. "He's been there for a week."

Tifa barely gave them a second glance as she turned her eyes on the building. Something made her hesitate, a brief flash of nervousness enveloped her, but not for long before she took off running uphill.

Barret gave the two men a brief thanks as the team followed her up the paved road. She had disappeared inside the large clinic but they caught up to her at the reception counter. A middle-aged woman peered at them from a pair of thin glasses, eyebrows rising with every newcomer into her reception until they disappeared in her forehead wrinkles when she spotted Red. As she was about to no doubt insist they take their pet outside, Tifa cut across her.

"Is Cloud here? Cloud Strife?" Tifa demanded. "Blond, blue eyes, male, twenty one years old."

The eyebrows rose again. "Well, yes, that sounds like the young man who was brought in here last week," she answered, pulling her log book towards her and paging through it. "He's in room seven. That's down the corridor to the right." She gestured the way.

Tifa threw a glance at the team to make sure they were with her and then she took off at a rapid walk through the clinic lobby to the corridor.

Room seven was a large, multi-sectioned room with wood partitions separating each. A mustached man in a white clinic coat sat at a small desk looked up as they filed in. He rose to his feet, setting his pen down.

"Can I help you?" He asked, his tone smooth and calming, perhaps a qualification for his line of work.

"We're looking for the young blond guy," Barret answered, stepping beside Tifa. "He's our friend."

Something slight changed in the doctor's expression, and it took Cid a moment to realize it was sympathy. Pity. Something cold slid into Cid's stomach.

"Ah, that young man," the doctor replied, pressing his lips together in a subconscious bracing for his coming news. "My name is Dr. Cliven. I'm the one who's been treating your friend. His condition is… unfortunate." He gestured with a hand to the adjacent section behind the nearest partition.

Dreaded by his words, Tifa hesitantly stepped into the next area with the team close behind her. The doctor's expression did nothing to encourage an optimistic expectation, and Cid was unpleasantly reminded of a time, years ago, when he was at the deathbed of a good friend. It had been a horrible visit, and that doctor had worn a very similar expression on his face. It was the silent code for bad news.

There was a window on the far wall, allowing bright light to stream in, bathing the figure sat in a wheelchair, white hospital garb pure in color. His blond spikes shone brightly and his pale face glowed warmly. But the most vivid features were Cloud's eyes. Vibrant even more than usual, they gleamed in the light, resembling the color of shallow crystal waters. But they were dead. Something twisted Cid's gut. Cloud was clearly alive in a physical sense, but his essence was no longer there. He was lifeless. Soulless.

"Cloud…" Tifa's voice floated precariously in the air, high and fearful.

She received no response. Not even a blink. The young man merely looked out of the window, although his gaze was lost and unfocused. His head was tilted to one shoulder, his body motionless; he looked more like a living doll. It was painful to see someone once so strong, so real only a short time ago now reduced to a shell. He was lost. He was gone.

"Mako poisoning," Dr. Cliven said somberly, gazing sadly at the young man. "Quite an advanced state. He's been exposed to extremely high concentrations of mako energy for a protracted period of time." He paused, letting the seriousness of the condition process. "It's one of the worst I've seen. He probably has no idea where he is… or even _who_ he is…" He paused yet again. Although he had been with Cloud for a week it seemed the blonde's condition still greatly saddened him. "His can't even speak. He's miles away…"

Tifa slowly lowered beside Cloud's wheelchair, her eyes brimming with torment and sadness – an extent of which Cid would never want to see in her eyes again. "Cloud," she said again, pleadingly. She didn't want to see what she was seeing. "Cloud, it's me. It's Tifa…"

Dr. Cliven shook his head despondently. "I'm glad that you found him and he has friends, but… the chance for him to regain mental consciousness is very slim… I'm sorry."

Tifa bowed her head bleakly, hopes cruelly dashed. They had found him, but they had lost him at the same time. "Could you… give me a minute," she said, her voice strained.

Barret nodded, though she couldn't see it. "We'll be outside the clinic," he told her softly.

The team hesitated at first, but turned reluctantly and trudged out as though they had weights attached to their feet. Everything felt wrong, this wasn't what they were supposed to find. Barret lingered before he fell in step behind Cid, looking forlornly at Tifa and Cloud. Of the three original members, he had a right to be there, too. But he understood Tifa more than they all did, and he must have sensed her need to be alone.

Once outside, back in the warm rays of the sun, it felt like they had stepped into another realm once again. People were still laughing and talking, the weather was still bright and happy, and no one knew what the team Avalanche was currently going through. They had walked into the clinic with a sense of hope, but they had left it with cold dismay. They were all silent as they stopped outside the entrance, no one looking at anyone, gazes drifting and thoughts reeling.

The doctor broke their silence as he exited behind them. They turned to him expectantly. "Mako poisoning has many strange effects on the body," he began wearily, folding his arms. "An immense amount of mako-drenched knowledge surged into his brain, all at once. No normal human could have survived, it's a miracle _he_ did. I mean an _actual_ _miracle_."

Barret propped his hands on his hips just to do something with them. "No wonder he's like he is… He fell into the Lifestream. It should'a' killed him…"

"He's an ex-Soldier, isn't he?" Dr. Cliven asked. "His uniform that we found him in was very similar to theirs." His gaze caught sight of Vincent. "And I'm assuming you are too, although I've never known Soldier mako treatments to turn the eye color _red_."

Rather than correct him, everyone remained silent.

"Even for an ex-Soldier, though, it still should have killed him," the doctor continued. "Your friend is either incredible strong or incredibly lucky. He could have got caught up in an air pocket or something. The Lifestream is still very much unknown to us."

"Will he ever recover? Go back to normal?" Yuffie asked uncertainly.

The doctor offered that expression again, of sympathy and pity. He didn't need words to answer her question.

"Shit," Barret whispered, turning from them as he slowly paced, restless. He stared hard at the ground.

"It's worse than death," Cid said to himself. If it was him in that wheelchair he would want someone to put him out of his misery. "Damn, that's not the way Cloud should have gone…"

"He's not _dead_," Yuffie told him fervently, bothered by his words. "There's still hope, right?" She looked at everyone, but no one could answer her. She frowned hard and turned her eyes on Vincent. "_You're_ proof that people can come back. Right?"

He looked at her sharply, with the most alarming expression of warning Cid had seen him direct at her. And even Cid was surprised by her forwardness.

Dr. Cliven frowned, ears pricked. "Sorry, what? What do you mean?"

"She doesn't know _what_ she means," Barret said meaningfully, throwing a glare at the young ninja. "Ignore her."

But now Cid was just as curious, especially considering the look of, well, Cid wasn't sure what to call it on Vincent's face. His brow was set but his eyes were slightly wider, and if Cid wasn't mistaken he was pretty sure Vincent had just realized something – something in what Yuffie had said. But what had she meant by her remark? Vincent was recovery proof of Cloud's condition? Had Vincent gone through the same thing under Hojo? Didn't Tifa say, back on the moors, that she and Avalanche had witnessed a video of the experiments? Had they seen something similar happen to Vincent?

As the doctor was about to push for information, eyeing Vincent with a curious scrutiny, he was interrupted by Tifa's presence as she appeared from the entrance.

"You okay?" Barret asked when she said nothing to them.

She raised her eyes. "Yes," she said, finding her voice. "I have something I want to tell you all…" She glanced at the doctor, who realized he was intruding and excused himself. Once he was back inside, she continued. "I… I want to stay by Cloud's side. I don't think I could be of use to you all right now, anyway, and he needs someone by his side, so I'm staying."

There was a brief silence before Barret said, "That's probably best. For you and for him." He nodded acceptingly, but Cid could see it affected him a little. Tifa and Barret were close friends, so it was to be expected.

"Maybe with you by his side he'll come back," Yuffie tried hopefully, offering a mall smile.

Tifa returned a weak one. "Maybe."

Cid stood next to her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We've got phones, keep us updated on his progress, yer hear?" She nodded, her smile growing just a tad.

Barret shuffled off his pack from his shoulder and handed it to her. "Got some bits in there, you have it. There's a few thousand gil as well."

She took it. "Thanks, Barret. What will you all do now?"

"Gotta figure out how to take down Sephiroth's barrier," Cid answered.

Tifa nodded. "Good luck…"

"We'll fuckin' need it," he said, earning himself another smile as he dug his hands into his pockets.

Barret gripped her arm gently. "You take care, alright?"

"Alright."

Barret turned to leave, the signal for them to disembark, but he paused and looked back over his shoulder. "Tifa… I don't wanna ask this, but…are you sure that's your childhood friend in there? And not a Sephiroth clone?"

His question made her pause, but she set her brow in resolution and nodded. "Yes. I'm sure of it."

He seemed assured by her answer. "Okay then. Sorry for asking."

They finally turned around and walked away, leaving Tifa watching them until they had left her range of vision down the hill. No one spoke until they had reentered the main square. The sun was beginning to set and the shadows were lengthening. The amount of tourists had thinned and the buzz of voices had lessened.

"I, uh, I think we should take a break," Barret finally said, rubbing the back of his neck. He looked tired and drained as he glanced back the way they had come. "I guess while we're here we should rest comfortably. There're plenty of hotels. We can set off in the morning."

"Huh. I was looking forward to a hot springs when we got here," Yuffie began tamely. "But now not so much…"

"Good, 'cause those places're expensive," Cid said, running a hand through his hair.

"Perhaps we _should_ treat ourselves," Red suggested. "I think we need the wind-down after recent events. Hot springs are greatly beneficial to the body and mind."

"I don't feel like indulging," Barret mumbled, eyes down despondently. He sighed. "I just wanna sleep."

"Red's right," Cait said from his mog. "You guys need every bit of body and soul boosting you can get. Leave it to me and I'll get you guys a discounted hot springs hotel."

No one seemed to want to argue, or, like Cid, they just suddenly found themselves without the energy. They followed the robot through the main area of Mideel, dragging their feet and wishing nothing more than to lie down. He led them back to the hot springs resort Cid and his team had been too earlier, asking around for Cloud.

It was a smooth transition from having no hotel room, to having one each in barely five minutes. Whatever code or name Cait had discreetly passed to the receptionist it had earned them some top quality rooms. He, of course, didn't need a room and so invited himself into Cid's. Why Cid? _Ugh_.

Their rooms were along the same ground floor, one after the other. Cid nodded to himself in approval as he entered his, dumping his things on the bed. It was a single room layout, with a recessed strip of tiled floor a few steps lower and a set of sliding doors, no doubt leading outside to the hot spring. The lush, rich red carpet reminded Cid of Vincent's cape. Thinking of Vincent…

"Where are you going?" Cait asked, having shut the door Cid now reopened.

"Got some of Vincent's things in my pack," he explained over his shoulder before shutting the door. He walked to the next room and knocked, but it was Barret's. It took another wrong pick before he found the right one.

"Cid?" Vincent said with an inquiring tone, gloved hand curled around the edge of the door, cape off.

The pilot lifted his pack into view. "Got yer water and rations. Didn't want yer goin' hungry tonight."

Vincent opened the door, giving a full view of an identical room, and gestured to a small cooler Cid hadn't noticed in his own. "The rooms provide complimentary drinks and snacks. I'm in no danger of hunger."

Son of a bitch was mocking him in a very subtle way, judging by the slight gleam in his eye. Cid made a face. "Damn," he huffed, annoyed he hadn't noticed the cooler in his own room. He shrugged. "Guess I'll keep ahold of 'em, then." With nothing else to say, he found himself lingering for an awkward moment, unsure why his feet weren't taking him back to his room.

"Do you dislike Cait Sith's company that much you'd prefer mine?" Vincent asked, his amusement slight but evident.

Cid suspected he was hanging around for another reason, but he'll take Vincent's. He gave a lopsided shrug. "Yer got me."

Vincent stepped back, a clear invitation for Cid to enter. He did so, closing the door behind him as Vincent walked to his bed and lowered himself down. His gun had been laid on the comforter alongside a small assortment of tools. He picked it up and emptied the chamber of bullets.

Cid threw his pack by the door and made himself comfortable on the other side of the bed, unfurling onto his back carefully so he didn't make the mattress bounce and send the bullets scattering. He linked his hands behind his head and stared at the ceiling, listening to the sounds of Vincent work.

"Yer think Cloud'll recover?" He asked before he could stop himself, and immediately grimaced mentally when he remembered Yuffie's 'you're proof' comment and how the two were now inadvertently linked.

Vincent stopped working and said nothing for a long time. Cid kept his eyes on the ceiling. Finally Vincent answered. "I'm not sure."

Cid sighed nasally. "Shitty luck we're havin' lately. Not that this mission isn't dangerous, but it's like it's fuckin' cursed." He blinked sleepily. "First Aerith… then I thought Cloud had bit the big one – and in all honesty I think he'd be better off… We gotta watch each other's backs big time."

Vincent was silent for a few moments before his tinkering started again. Cid glanced at him. From his perspective on the bed he had a perfect view of the man's profile, looking down at his work through dark eyelashes. _Perfect._ It was the word that popped into Cid's head instantly, and kept on popping up even against Cid's wishes. His eyes roamed over Vincent's face, studying the elegant curve of his nose, across the soft swell of his lips, following the line of his jaw and down the ink black bangs. He was mesmerizing. He was just damn beautiful. Had Hojo ever looked down at him and thought so? Had he ever stepped back and really _saw_ what he had in his possession? Did he ever appreciate how horrendous an act he was committing, to defile and torture something so stunning? Twisted by pain and suffering, what must those kinds of expressions have done to Vincent's face?

The gunman blinked softly, his ministrations clicking and clinking into the silence. Cid thought he was too engrossed in his work, but Vincent's eye shifted, glancing at him from the corner before his head followed suit and he looked at Cid. Curiosity and something else shimmered in his gaze.

"Yeah, I know, I'm starin' again," Cid said nonchalantly, caught out as he turned his eyes back to the ceiling. "Was just thinkin'."

Vincent watched him a second more before turning back to his gun. But Cid's eyes were drawn to him like a moth to a flame, only instead of his face the pilot found himself watching the gun, fascinated by it.

"Hey, before this journey's over," Cid started, "Yer gonna have to let me squeeze off a shot with that."

"Perhaps I will."

Cid grinned. "Yer don't sound too sure about that."

Vincent looked at him again. "…Alright, then. In return for forcing me to learn pole arms."

A bark of laughter escaped Cid's lips and he rolled onto his side, propping his chin on his hand. "_Force_ yer? Yer could'a' picked me up and _thrown_ me away if yer really didn't wanna do that."

He felt incredibly triumphant when a corner of Vincent's lips twitched into what was definitely a smile before it disappeared. He felt himself grinning more so in response.

"I didn't trust that I wouldn't have thrown you into the stratosphere."

Cid flopped back onto his back. "Damn. I know I said I wanted to be the first in space, but, fuck, don't take that too literally."

"You're safe. I don't think I can throw that far."

Cid looked at him, catching his gaze. "We'll have to prove that one day."

Vincent seemed drawn to the thoughtful glint in Cid's eyes, drawn to the promise that there will be a 'one day'. His expression was open and unguarded, whether knowingly or not, allowing Cid to see the canvas on which a variety of expressions could be painted. But with a blink, his usual passive mask fell back into place, albeit softer than his public one. He returned his attention to his gun.

"What would we throw?"

Cid's smile curled again, and a warm tingle twitched behind his ribs at Vincent's use of the word 'we'. "I was thinkin' Yuffie."

That red eye slid to his direction in amusement.

They talked for another hour, or more accurately, Cid talked and Vincent occasionally gave a response. He finished cleaning his gun and reassembled it, setting it under one of the pillows for easy access. As Cid was returning to his room not long later, he wondered why exactly he found the man's company so pleasant, why he enjoyed being around him. He felt some part of his mind was barring something from his forward consciousness, but before he could crack into it he had returned to his room and Cait Sith began talking, diverting his attention.

"I thought you'd left me this room to myself – not that I wouldn't mind, but I don't really need it," the little cat said, hopping down from the bed to lock the door Cid had forgotten to do.

"_I_ thought yer'd be shut off by now," Cid shot back tiredly, failing to suppress a yawn. "There a cut off time to use the hot spring?"

"No. But if you use it I'm going to keep an eye on you," Cait said, retrieving a pair of complimentary slippers and dropping them by the foot of the bed. "People fall asleep and drown in hot springs every year."

Cid could hardly be bothered to argue, and had no qualms about nakedness (he literally didn't give a shit). He shrugged off his clothes, tossing them onto the bed, pulled on the bathrobe and stepped into the slippers. His body was crying out for both sleep and the prospect of a bath, but since it was unlikely he would ever come back here and there probably wouldn't be enough time in the morning, Cid was going for the bath.

The hot spring was a picturesque, natural environment, with the only manufactured features being the underwater lights, providing enough illumination for guests to see by night. There was a small area to the side where he ditched his slippers and robe and quickly washed himself off in the basin, using the bowl and soap. Once clean he lowered himself into the hot spring, surprised by the temperature and the pleasant soothing over his aches and bruises. Steam rose from the surface and clung to his face and hair, lulling him closer to sleep. His leg twitched, jerking his mind back into consciousness, but Cait was right there, observing the area with (he assumed) approving nods. If Cid fell asleep Cait could… well… dive into the water and electrocute the fuck out of him? So much for his savior.

With the morbid image of fried pilot in mind, his tiredness edged away enough for him to enjoy another few minutes before rising from the hot water and wrapping himself back into his bathrobe/towel. He heard Cait say something as he made his way back inside, but the sleep had caught up to him and he was running on autopilot (a pun he would have found funny). He rubbed himself dry, barely registering the sounds of Cait shutting the sliding doors behind him, and let the robe drop to the floor as he crawled naked under the comforter.

Before he passed out into the realm of sleep, he heard Cait's voice calling goodnight, but behind his eyelids he saw a pair of red eyes, and that twitch of a smile that Cid couldn't stop fixating on...


	28. Huge Materia

**Journey**

/

**AN:** An update so soon after the other - hell is freezing over. But seriously, found this chapter pretty easy to write, and I wanna get to the yaoi so bad - so the faster I get through it the faster I get to it.

Also, I figured it couldn't hurt to throw this out there, but I'm pretty skint right now and wondered if fic commissions sounded like a good idea. Would anyone be interested? I wouldn't charge much, but it would depend on the length on the story, and lately I've found more free time so it would be easier. I usually turn to art commissions when I'm this broke but I'm going through a major block and my art sucks right now. So, yes, any help at all would be great. Thanks. Onward with the story.

/

He wasn't sure whether it was a good thing that dreams quickly fade from memory or not. When Cid awoke the next morning there were fragments still floating in his mind, vague images that made no sense and carried feelings that he both did and did not want to keep. He remembered that Vincent had been in his dreams, recalling a fading vision of vivid red eyes, close to him, watching him with a warm aura. They were talking, but he couldn't remember what about, or if they were even speaking _English_. It transitioned to a completely different scene, and he remembered seeing dark and light fighting for dominance, pulsing all around. Cloud was there, hovering in a sea of swirling mist, caught in his own inner turmoil and oblivious to Cid. He saw his baby, the _Highwind_ falling from the skies, and then he was back in the Forgotten City, watching Aerith stand beneath a beam of light, glowing. She looked so peaceful, even when she raised her head and opened her eyes. She smiled at him, and before he was wrenched into consciousness he was filled with a sense of calm and serenity.

When he finally opened his eyes he had already lost a huge chunk of his dreams, and all that he could cling onto were the few vivid flashes that had surfaced with him from sleep. He pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes and rubbed away the sting of the light room.

"Morning," Cait's voice came from somewhere. "Sleep well?"

Cid gave a full bodied stretch, feeling the satisfying pull of healed injuries. That hot spring had done wonders, but he was pretty sure it was also to blame for his weird dreams. He sat up and swung his legs out, finding Cait pulling a bottle of water from the small cooler. He waddled over to the pilot and handed it to him.

"Didn't yer turn yerself off last night?" Cid eyed him, opening the bottle and gulping down the water.

"Yes," the cat answered, like it was obvious. "I just rebooted a few minutes ago. It's still fairly early. I don't think anyone else is awake."

Cid chased the water around his mouth before swallowing. "How's things behind Shinra lines? Junon still reelin' from Sapphire Weapon?"

Cait stared at him, tilting his head. "Sapphire? Why did you call it that?"

Cid paused, lip of the bottle to his mouth. "I heard someone else call it that."

"Who?"

Cid frowned, irritably. "Does it fuckin' matter? Anyway, what's the President doin' in all this?"

Cait watched him a second longer, detecting the way Cid skirted around his question. "He's been busy with the city's current mess. Beyond that I don't know."

Cid 'hm'ed in response, not sure whether to trust him or not. But the man behind the controls had helped them out when he didn't have to, and had risked his exposure (and the consequent punishment it would hold). He deserved some trust… just a little.

"How do you think the team will fair now?" Cait asked sincerely, hopping onto the bed beside the Captain.

Cid shrugged. He didn't even like thinking about Cloud's condition; it was a sad, tragic turn of events, a bitch slap in the face – because how could any name of destiny condemn a man to a prison inside his own body? What kind of thanks was that for trying to save the world? Would Tifa be sobbing her heart out next to him, having lost another close friend? So close to him but so far away. Would Yuffie have lain awake all night, unable to accept that they had lost their leader? What would Barret be thinking? Would Red be affected? Would Vincent even care…? Yes, of course he would. Vincent was cold and emotionless at times, but he was not heartless. And considering that there was a possibility he had gone through the same thing…

"Even with all Shinra's resources and knowledge of mako, there has never been a cure for mako poisoning," the little cat said sadly.

"Then what the hell was Yuffie on about?" Cid asked.

Cait looked up at him. "Aah… She _was_ a bit confused, like Barret said." He sat on the edge of the bed and kicked out his little legs repeatedly. "We came across some documented experiments in Shinra Manor. Even I was unaware what really happened there, it was very top secret. I'm not sure how much you know –"

"I know a bit," Cid mumbled.

Cait nodded. "Weeeell, we came across a video and a few hand-written documents. We hadn't found Vincent yet, so we went through the documents and played the footage." He paused, letting a superficial shiver jerk his little body. "I, myself, read one of the documents. It was Hojo's records of the experimentation he did on Vincent. I was horrified, I couldn't believe what that madman had put another human being through for the name of science." Cait shook his head, disgusted. "His experiments gave Vincent super strength, super healing, and the ability to transform – a highly complex and _impossible_ feat… But the psychological trauma and the _shock_ of these experiments, day after day, finally broke Vincent's mind. He was like Cloud is now, alive but dead. Hojo had succeeded _physically_, but he neglected to consider his victim _mentally_. According to his notes he deemed his experimentation a failure, and abandoned him." Cait stopped kicking his legs, stopped his tail flicking. "There was a woman. Lucrecia Crescent. She was Hojo's colleague and almost as brilliant. In Hojo's notes he suspected she might have once loved Vincent, and he her, which was probably why she saved him. She revived his mind somehow, but even Hojo didn't know how she did it. If he, _the_ genius scientist, couldn't have brought back Vincent's mind, it begs the question: Just how did she? The documents go on to say that Hojo took Vincent back from her, determined to find out what she'd done, but it was shortly after that he had to give up."

When Cait left it hanging for a few seconds too long, Cid grew impatient. "Why?"

Cait looked back up at him. "Vincent became too powerful to control, Hojo couldn't continue his experiments. He couldn't contain Vincent, so he chemically comatose the man and locked him in that coffin."

Cid felt himself staring, but he was too preoccupied processing the information to care. He had many new questions he wanted to fire at the cat, but none of them could decide which one wanted to be asked first.

"Yuffie knew that Vincent had suffered the same _condition_ as Cloud," Cait continued. "But she obviously couldn't remember how different the circumstances were. Besides, even if Vincent _had_ been poisoned by mako, no one knew what that woman did to him. No one would know how to cure it."

Cid's mind kept repeating one of Cait's statements. "Vincent became too powerful for Hojo? But he used that _word_ on Vincent, it stopped him dead."

Cait nodded. "I'd heard of mind conditioning before, but I'd never seen it. I think that its effect switches off as soon as the body is subjected to physical stimuli. In other words, as soon as Hojo started… _cutting_ into Vincent again, it would jerk the mind out of its paralysis."

Cid felt his eyebrows pinching together with incredulity. "Shit… How the fuck has that man not gone _insane_?"

"Maybe he did at one point…"

Cid frowned hard at the robot. But instead of pressing for more, he closed his eyes and shook away his never ending list of questions, rising to his feet. He had returning visions of Vincent restrained to a cold medical slab, his once fierce eyes reduced to dull, lifeless windows to a soul that was fractured; fractured into a million pieces. Cid banished the images, unable to look at them any longer.

There came a knock at his door, three loud taps in the silence. He strode over and unlocked it, greeted to the sight of Barret.

"It time to leave?" Cid asked.

Barret's eyebrows lifted in levity. "Yeah, but you might wanna put some clothes on."

Cid looked down. He was still naked. He looked back at Barret and adopted a considering expression. "Depends. It still hot outside?"

Giving an equivalent of rolling his eyes, Barret shoved him back into the room, good-naturedly. "Get dressed, ya damn animal." He grabbed the door and closed it.

/

They rendezvoused in the lobby shortly after, taking advantage of the breakfast buffet that had been spread out for the guests. Cid and Cait were the last to arrive to an uncharacteristically quiet group, eating their meal wordlessly.

Cid was tempted to make a wise crack as he set his own plate of collected food on their table, but even he felt too jaded. It was too soon, they were all feeling the loss. Instead, Cid found his eyes straying to where Vincent stood against a pillar, arms folded. He caught Cid's eye and something softened in them, minute as it was. Cid found his lip quirking in response before he busied himself with his breakfast, wondering why his heart had picked up a pace.

"I hope everyone made use of their hot spring access last night," Cait broke the silence.

Yuffie half-shrugged. Barret said nothing and Red looked politely contemplative. Vincent remained quiet, but Cid found himself wondering if he would have even thought about the hot spring. It didn't seem like something he'd do but that didn't stop Cid thinking about it.

They finished their meal, stocked up on energy, and left the hotel with barely a sentence uttered between them. There was nothing more for them to do in Mideel; they had found their missing companion – well, most of him – and they had lost him in the very same moment. Only, Mideel was not content to take one person from their group, but two, and as they traveled the forest walkway back to the airport on the outskirts, they felt the unmistakable emptiness associated with loss, growing stronger as they grew further away.

"Welcome back, Captain," Holoski greeted when they broke from the cover of the trees into the pitifully small airport. His smiled dropped when he noticed (or felt) the heavy air they were carrying. "The _Highwind_'s all ready to depart, Sir." He glanced at their numbers. "Where's Tifa, Captain?"

Clinging to the tether of his ship, Cid looked over his shoulder. "She's stayin'," was all he said before hoisting himself up to the outer deck after his team. "Let's get movin'."

Barely five minutes later they were airborne, but with no destination set. The airship sailed leisurely across the crystal waters of the Mideel area as Barret gathered what was left of Avalanche into the conference room. Yuffie grabbed the first trashcan she could find and brought it in with her, clutching it between her knees as she sat hunched over in one of the chairs. Cid slid into one opposite her and propped his hand on his head, watching Barret pace restlessly at the head of the table. Red and Vincent took up position somewhere behind the pilot, out of his vision range, but, strangely, he could sense Vincent's presence to the wall on his right.

"I have no clue what to do now," Barret admitted once silence had lingered a little too long. He rubbed the back of his neck in agitation and glared at any object his brown eyes fell upon in their trajectory around the room. "I know we gotta figure out how to bring down Sephiroth's barrier, but how the fuck do we do that? Even if those Weapons are supposed to bring it down, how do we get 'em to do –"

"Everyone," Cait suddenly said loudly, gaining their attention as he waved an arm in a redundant gesture for their focus. His other hand was at his ear, as though he had a microphone nestled there – which Cid knew he hadn't. "I'm in a meeting right now at Shinra HQ, you should all listen to this – I can amplify the audio…"

The sounds of a speaker-strained conversation filled the conference room from the now open mouth of Cait's mog. Rufus' voice was loud and clear.

"… Faced with two issues," he was saying. "One, destroy Meteor. Two, remove the barrier from the north cave and defeat Sephiroth. Give me ideas," he ordered. "I want to hear what you intended to carry out."

A thick chuckle followed his words and the voice of Heidegger came through. "We have a suitable plan for destroying Meteor. It will be reduced to little more than rubble if all goes according to plan. Even as we speak the operation is in motion. We have troops assembled to collect Huge Materia from each region."

The sound of a door swishing open interrupted his last syllable, and the clear sounds of high heels clicking on the polished floor followed.

"To refresh the President's memory," drawled Scarlet's condescending tone, "Hugh Materia is a high density type of materia made through a special compression process in the mako reactors. The energy extracted from it is three hundred and thirty times the strength of normal." She gave a chuckle, not unlike Heidegger's. "How about that, hm? We will use this immense power to _obliterate_ Meteor, reducing it to harmless dust. The worst that can happen would be a few tiny meteor showers in the aftermath."

"And you think we have the technology to do this?" Rufus questioned.

"It's all been taken into consideration, Mr. President," Heidegger replied smoothly. "We must collect Corel and Fort Condor's Huge Materia and then we will be ready. I will be sending troops to collects Corel's as soon as we are done h…."

The audio fizzled out, leaving a string of soft static and then nothing. Cait apologized that he couldn't keep transmitting due to some fault with his connection.

"Corel!" Barret hissed, his eyes blazing with fury. "We can't let those Shinra bastards get their hands on the Huge Materia. We gotta get it before them. That's what Cloud would do…"

Cait hopped off his mog into the shiny surface of the table, sliding to a stop. "Are you going to step into his shoes, then?"

Barret looked at the robot, a mix of surprise and rejection at the idea. "I ain't cut out to be no leader… as much as I wanna be. This team deserves more than my misdirection. But it still needs _someone_…" At this he lifted his eyes and locked them on Cid's meaningfully. "Congratulations, blondie, you've just been elected."

Cid blinked. "Pain in the ass. Forget it."

"You've _been_ a leader before," Barret reasoned. "You headed a team for that rocket and you had a whole town following your ass. Hell, you're more qualified than Cloud and _he_ got us _this_ far."

"And you're blond," Yuffie threw out there. "It can be our running theme."

Cid directed a well-executed deadpan look at her.

"You've got the _Highwind_, you've got the crew, you've got the balls," Barret listed. "Want me to go on?"

"How much of a look did yer fuckin' _get_ this morning?" Cid quipped.

"C'mon, Cid, just agree already and we can get off this, uuugh, airship," Yuffie said, gripping her trash can.

Cid threw an offhanded arm in the air. "Fine. Y'all are my bitches. Happy now?"

Barret smiled. Cid realized he was doing the right thing, he realized they needed someone to follow, and deep down he was glad to do it, he was actually honored. But that didn't mean he had to show it.

"When Cloud gets better you two can duke it out for leader position," Yuffie said optimistically. No one had the heart to tell her Cloud might not recover.

Cid rose to his feet. "Better get our asses to Corel, then and snatch that HM."

"But I don't get it," Yuffie said, lifting her head from the trash can. "If Shinra are gonna destroy Meteor with them, why are we trying to stop that? They're actually doing something good."

Cid exchanged looks with Barret. "Because, whatever idiot is advising them on _that_ course of action is a fuckin' moron. Firin' a projectile at a big rock made of ice, metal and who-knows _what_ else is like ticklin' a Vlakorados with an arrowhead." Everyone stared at him. "In short, it probably won't do shit to Meteor," Cid summed up. "And besides, we could probably make better use of them Huge Materias…"

"Like using it to bring down Sephiroth's barrier?" Red suggested.

"Could be an idea," Cid nodded contemplatively. He drifted off into his thoughts for a second before pulling himself out of them, slapping his hands together and announcing, "Let's get our asses to Corel!"

/

The _Highwind_ reached their destination several long hours later. It had been an unendurable wait, but during that time Cid noticed Barret didn't seem too thrilled to be returning. Corel held some bitter memories for him.

North Corel was a dusty town, situated at the base of Mt. Corel. Cid knew the history, he had been here once before (and of course when Avalanche had passed through to reach Gold Saucer), but it was a rather unimpressive place with only a tragic story to be of any interest. The mako reactor that had once been built in Corel exploded, killing hundreds of people and devastating the town. The survivors eventually built North Corel, but they had made little progress and had basic technology. The little village couldn't afford to catch up to the outside world.

"Barret," someone called, waving them over from where they had walked into town. "Didn't expect to see you back so soon."

"It's not for a chat, we've gotta get to the Corel reactor," Barret said, casting his eyes over the tops of the small buildings and workers tents.

"You too?" The man questioned. "Shinra troops were _just_ here. They're after the Huge Materia, gonna bring it back through town."

"Shit, we're late," Cid cursed, starting off along the rocky road that led to the Corel rector. Avalanche was right behind him, picking up their paces. They could have really used some land transport, but after asking quickly around there was nothing they could use. They were forced to make the long-ass trek to the reactor on foot, risking irregular jogs over the length of old, suspended bridge tracks in an attempt to cut the time.

The Corel reactor was fairly impressive as far as reactors went, ironic in that it was located in a town barely worth putting on the map. It had been built down into the rock and the central column was accessible by only two ways: The train tracks, and a narrow walkway from the opposite side. The reactor was illuminated with several spot lights despite the daytime's natural light, catching the underside of the waste smoke billowing from the filter vents. Pretty…

"Hey! _You_ guys!"

Avalanche skidded to a stop along the tracks as two guards appeared on the walkway around the central column, raising their weapons aggressively.

"It's Avalanche!"

They braced themselves for gun recoil as they targeted Cid (sucker at the front of the group) but before they could open fire an explosion of bullets either side of his ears made him jerk, and the two guards crumpled to the floor, blood spurting from their chests.

"Ow, _goddamnit_, can you two get _silencers_?" Cid complained to the gunmen, his ears ringing.

A sharp, loud TOOT split the air from the exit of the central column, and the unmistakable rumble and squeak of a train began to grow in volume.

"Shit – onto the platform," Cid ordered.

They made a mad dash from the tracks and leapt to the side as the train emerged from the central column. It ploughed ahead, literally running _over_ the two dead guards still lying on the tracks. Yuffie gagged. The team was forced to stand by and watch as cart after cart rolled out of the reactor, loaded with tons of coal and picking up speed as it went.

"The Huge Materia is on that!" Red exclaimed, watching their target charge away.

Cid started forward but halted. "Fuck! Can anyone run fast enough to catch up to it?"

"Not a chance," Barret replied grimly, jaw set as the train began reducing in size and increasing in distance. He spun on his heel and headed into the reactor. "But there was always a second engine car. C'mon!"

Cid raced after him with the rest behind. Inside the train hall Barret was already climbing aboard the other control car. With the clear squeal of the breaks releasing, the car began to chug forward. Cid and co leapt onto the carriage behind Barret as they began rolling faster and faster, breaking out into the sunlight.

"Hey, get ya blond ass here," Barret called behind from the controls as the wind began picking up.

"What?" Cid demanded, stepping beside him, grabbing the edge for stability. "Don't tell me yer don't know how to drive this? Yer used to work in amine!"

"Yeah, as a _miner_!" Barret growled defensively, now roaring over the wind. "Not a fucking train driver! I never operated the damn thing!" He wrenched Cid in his place at the levers, leaving the pilot looking at it with a mix of distaste and disaster. "You're the only one here who's got a chance to work this thing!"

"I fly _airships_!" Cid yelled, gripping the two levers. "They're different in that they _fuckin' fly_!"

"Cid, just go with your instincts!" Yuffie shouted from behind him.

"Fine!" Cid squeezed the release for the left lever and pulled it down with an old, rusty squeak. According to the speed gauge the train increased. "I can do this."

It took a few seconds for Cid to familiarize himself with the way the controls worked, but within no time Barret called over the streaming wind and Cid looked up from the gauges to see they were catching up to the coal train. Somehow, though, it had moved onto the tracks that ran parallel to theirs. On closer inspection, he saw that the train was not only carrying the Huge Materia, but Shinra troops, too. Well, hell. At least he knew how the coal train had gotten over there.

"How much more track is there?" Cait asked loudly, concern in his tone.

"Not much," Barret replied. "Those bastards are speeding up – Cid, go faster."

"She won't gimme any more speed," Cid told him. He judged the distance between the two tracks. "We'll have to jump!"

"_What_?" Yuffie cried.

"It's not that bad, they're on lower tracks," Barret reasoned.

"We're on speeding trains!" She exclaimed.

"Then don't forget to compensate for the wind turbulence!" Cid yelled over his shoulder, actually enjoying the sheer alarm in Yuffie's voice.

Red leapt first. In one bound he cleared the gap between the trains, landing easily on the end car, atop the mound of coal. Barret gestured for Yuffie quickly, as Shinra troops were already scrambling towards Red. She gathered her courage, refused to look down and leapt across, her yell ripped away by the wind. Barret followed her, with the mog clutched in one hand and Cait on his shoulder.

"Just you left, Vince," Cid called, still working the controls. His arms were getting sore.

Vincent gave him a nod, and as easily as Red, he cleared the distance in one graceful jump, his cape billowing fiercely. When he was over Cid abandoned the levers, took as much of a run up as he could and flew through the air, landed heavily on the coal in front of Vincent, who grabbed his arm to steady him.

"Thanks," Cid gripped the gunman's bicep in gratitude before turning his attention to the Shinra troops climbing aboard their car.

Red growled and lunged for the left troop as Yuffie's shuriken mowed down the second next to him. Barret disposed of the other. All three bodies fell off the car and out of sight.

Cid felt Vincent's hand let him go (surprised he had held on as long as he had). "We gotta get to the front carriage," the pilot yelled, starting forward. The line of cars rocked threatening ahead of them, forming a line to the engine car that looked miles long. One wrong slip and they would fall.

The gap to each car was much smaller than the jump that had taken crossing tracks, but still disconcerting. They had cleared three coal cars before they were once again confronted.

"Stand down, Avalanche!" One of four troops ordered.

Cid took Loud Mouth down while his team dealt with the others and practically scrambled across their corpses to get to the next car. With the unsteady motion of the train it took them a long time to finally make it to the front car. The troop doing the piss-poor job at driving was taken out swiftly, and Cid dropped onto the slightly sturdier car. There was a chest on the floor, no doubt containing the Huge Materia.

"Good news," Cid began, cracking open the chest to confirm. "We've got the HM. Bad news," he stood up and looked through the view screen. "We're racin' towards North Corel and I can pretty much fuckin' see the whites of their eyes."

"Hit the brakes!" Barret told him, eyes wide as the little town grew larger and larger.

Cid had already wrapped both hands around the brake stick, squeezing the stiff release as hard as he could and applying all his strength to the stem – but it wouldn't budge. Every second brought them closer to crashing into Corel and destroying what little they had, but it seemed no matter hard much force Cid used the brake would not yield. It was stuck.

"Fuck – it won't move!" Cid shouted through gritted teeth, words strained with effort. His heart was racing, they were going to plough into Corel and destroy it.

A leather-gloved hand wrapped around his and the brake, and Cid jerked his head up to find Vincent right beside him. The hand tightened and pushed, crushing together the bones in Cid's hands– but a second later the brake relented, jerking down with a rusty screech.

The train shrieked in protest as it began decreasing in speed, riding the brakes painfully along the last hundred meters of the track. Vincent released the lever and gripped the edge of the train as Cid did the same, almost slamming into the view window with the sudden lurch in speed. The others held onto what they could and attempted to halt it with mental will alone – and either they succeeded or the brakes had been applied at _just_ the right time, for the train began slowing, and a few seconds later it rolled into North Corel safely, pulling up to the end of the tracks with less than a meter to spare. Dust followed its slipstream, blowing sluggishly into the small settlement. Locals wafted it away.

Unclenching his hands from their death grip on a handrail, Cid leaned out the side of the engine car and observed their position. He received a few incredulously looks from the people.

"We made it!" Yuffie exclaimed, jumping to her feet. "We're alive!"

"_That's_ how to park a train," Cid grinned, gesturing with a cocky jab of his finger.

They jumped down with the chest safely under Cid's left arm. The crowd that had gathered muttered and stared at what could have easily been their doom.

"Did those Shinra troops start that train?" A local woman asked. "It was in the middle of repairs, it's dangerous."

"Repairs?" Barret echoed.

"The brake valve handle was jammed, it's lucky you stopped Shinra or I bet they'd have let it crash straight into our town! In fact, it's lucky _you_ managed to stop the train!"

As the townsfolk whisked Barret away to talk, Cid walked over to Vincent. "Thanks," he said, slapping him amiably on the arm. No man liked to admit that his own strength wasn't enough, but in this case a whole (granted small) town had been at risk, and Cid doubted even Barret could have shifted that brake stick. Who knew what would have happened if Cid hadn't been able to stop the train? "I guess we saved the town _and_ fixed their train."

Vincent gave a nod of acceptance, his eyes flitting over the pilot's face. "Let's hope they will get the chance to continue using it."

They began walking. "If we save the world, maybe these guys can implement a more efficient means of transport," Cid said, trailing off into his thoughts as he began designing something more air-orientated for Corel. Beside him, Vincent's eyes watched him.

"Hey, look what this kid just gave me," Yuffie came jogging to them, holding a deep green materia up for them to see. It shone in the light, gleaming magically. "I think its Ultima magic. We could really use this."

"It will surely help in our future fight," Red said, appearing next to her.

Barret found them a minute later with Cait on his mog. With the team together and nothing else to keep them, Avalanche bid a hasty goodbye to the dusty mining town and hit the trail back to the airship, one Huge Materia heavier.

/


	29. Perspective

**Journey**

/

**AN:** Damn, this chapter was exhausting. But definitely fun to write. More Cid and Vincent closeness, woot.

/

Cid set the Huge Materia chest down in his Captain's quarters, creating a quiet THUNK in the silent room. There was nowhere else to store it that he felt the thieving ninja brat wouldn't get her hands on it. Not that she had anywhere to run off to, but it was a crucial object in their vague plans and he felt better knowing it was safe in his room.

He stood for a moment in the dark cabin, with the muffled hum of the _Highwind_'s engines powering her through the air, feeling a strange passive calm possess him. He let his eyes glide over his room, his mind dredging up things he hadn't really given attention to. Like how he missed Shera… just a little; how things seemed to change so rapidly along these travels; and how easy it was for any of them to die. Any of them except Vincent. Vincent, who he couldn't stop thinking about lately, and who had exposed Cid to the true dark horrors of Shinra's quest for power. He knew he would never see the company in the same light again, he would never forgive Shinra, for what they had done to his space program and for what they had done to Vincent. And of course, for producing Sephiroth. Sephiroth, who killed Aerith, burned the small town of Nibelheim to the ground, murdered countless people and destroyed Cloud's mind. He was once a good man, a Soldier of the highest regard, a warrior for good. How easy it had been for his mind to completely break when he discovered what he really was.

Cid brushed a hand absently along the top of his nightstand, barely registering his own actions as he realized that Sephiroth's situation had probably been _horrifying_. Cid couldn't imagine how he would feel if he found out _he_ was part alien, if he was an experiment.

And then it hit Cid that Vincent's situation had been very similar to Sephiroth's: He had been a victim of experimentation, he had been molded into something inhuman against his will, something with great power – he could have very easily followed the same destructive path. He could have woken from that coffin, discovered the full extent of his torture and lost his mind. But he didn't. Why did Sephiroth? Or maybe the question was why _didn't_ Vincent? What leads a man to abandon his senses and turn into such a ruthless killer? Did he have to have that seed of instability already, for it to grow? Sephiroth was born a warrior, a fighter, he could have been harboring it all his life. But Vincent was a Turk, a trained assassin among other things, it would have been all too possible for him to carry that seed, too.

Cid blinked himself from his deep thoughts. This mission of theirs was changing him, never would he have even considered trying to understand the reason for Sephiroth's madness, he didn't like to dwell on things he couldn't change, it was pointless. But this journey was having a huge impact on them all. They had come together as a strange bunch of individually gifted friends, formed a bond that drove deeper than anything, and lost two of those friends to their cause. Cid was no longer the same man that had left Rocket Town on a whim. He was with this team – _his_ team – until the end, and he would see it through even if he died along the way.

Something intangible emanated from behind him, drawing him from his thoughts rather abruptly. He turned around to find Vincent watching him from the doorway, haloed by the dim lights in the corridor. His cape fluttered slightly, his red eyes watching Cid gently.

"I was returning to my cabin," Vincent explained in a low, soft tone, as though he was reluctant to break the silence. "Your door was open." His was silent for a long moment, detecting a difference in mood from the usually brash Captain, and although he didn't verbalize it, his expression quite clearly asked 'are you okay?'

Cid looked at him for a moment, really looked at him. This man had lost thirty years of his life, he had lost his definition of humanity, lost his family and friends and his entire life. He had woken up all alone with nothing but revenge on his agenda. How easy it would have been for him and his newfound powers to do exactly what Sephiroth had done. But he hadn't. Granted, he had joined them simply to find and kill Hojo, but he could have turned into a true monster, a man with no morals and no care for anything but his own adjective. He hadn't. He had retained his humanity.

"Just lost in thought," Cid explained indifferently, letting his eyes wander along the walls rather than linger on the gunman. "It happens," he added in jest. His gaze flickered back to Vincent's glowing eyes. _"I am suffering."_ Those words struck deep in Cid. Vincent wanted to end his life when he killed Hojo, but how long would that take? What if it was tomorrow? Would Vincent continue with them to defeat Sephiroth, or not? How much more time would Cid have with him?

Vincent's head inclined slightly and Cid realized he had been staring at him. Again. Those red eyes flashed with concern, a concern he had only ever directed at Cid.

"Wanna grab a drink with me?" Cid finally asked.

Vincent watched him a second longer, as though he was trying to judge the pilot's strangely contemplative mood. "Okay," he answered.

The _Highwind_ was on route back towards the east continent, another long journey, another Huge Materia. They had plenty of time to kill and plenty of time to think, and right now Cid didn't trust himself to be alone with his own thoughts. The last thing he wanted to do was start thinking about all the shit he couldn't change.

As he sat down on a chair at a table in the galley, a rumble of thunder broke the quiet. It had turned dark outside as they passed through a storm, and even with the lights on it felt like night. Cid cupped his hot tea and found himself drawn to the ribbons of steam rising from it. They reminded him of the ethereal smoke that danced around Vincent during his transformation.

The gunman lowered himself into the chair opposite him with his own mug of tea, his eyes magnetized to Cid. They were alone in the galley, although occasionally one of the crew would walk past in the corridor. It was pleasantly intimate, just the two of them.

"Guess I'm not the only one who stares," Cid smirked a little, taking a sip.

Vincent was unfazed by his remark, his eyes switching between Cid's as though they held an answer to something. "What will you do if the planet is saved?" He asked.

Cid was surprised by the question; he hadn't been expecting Vincent to talk much at all, let alone initiate a conversation. "I guess I'll return to Rocket Town," he said without vigor. If there was a future, he would no doubt end up back there. "Gotta rebuild the _Tiny Bronco_. I suppose I'll just keep tinkerin' away." He huffed in amusement before adding, "Until the next apocalypse."

Vincent lowered his eyes to the table, thoughts clearly running through his mind. He nursed his drink and remained silent as Cid now watched him. The man's response to his joke hadn't provoked the reaction he had been hoping for, and instead he seemed disheartened. What surprised Cid was that he _knew_ what Vincent – the master of masks – was contemplating.

"Y'know, yer can't get away that easily after yer waste Hojo," Cid began, leaning both elbows on the table and finding the gap between them closing just a little bit. At his words Vincent's eyes rose and Cid held them. "I still gotta take yer up in the _Tiny Bronco_ when she's repaired."

Again, Vincent said nothing, but he didn't lower his eyes, and in their depths Cid caught a flash of want, a quick, hidden glimmer of longing and regret. Cid wanted to chase those negative emotions away.

Another growl of thunder followed, louder and closer but strangely calming. Muffled sounds of rain lashing on the _Highwind_'s hull began to fill the quiet as the two men held their gazes. It was funny how the ambience of a raging weather could create a soothing atmosphere. The vague turmoil in Vincent's eyes melted away, and once again Cid was struck how stunning he was. He was gorgeous. _Holy shit, I just called a guy gorgeous._ What a man could do with a face like that. Cid found himself wondering if he had ever used it to his advantage, back when he had short hair. He had seen plenty of men who knew they looked handsome (smug sonuvabitches) gain favors and attention with their looks. Somehow, though, he couldn't see Vincent even remotely aware he was hot. Why did that just make him more endearing? _Endearing, Damnit!_

Vincent continued to hold the connection as he took a sip from his drink. Even his simple action was fascinating. Cid didn't know if it was his own tea – or gas – but warmth was curling in his belly in a familiar, pleasant way and it took him a moment to realize it was a calm knot of arousal.

"Are we havin' a starin' contest?" Cid broke the silence with a light jest, attempting to divert attention from the warm feeling. And the fact that they still hadn't looked away from each other.

A gleam of amusement had touched Vincent's eyes. "If we are, I win. You blinked."

Cid grinned. "Fuck. Well, I'm a sore loser. I demand a rematch."

Vincent seemed to accept. "Is this how you intend to pass the time?"

Cid half shrugged. "Can't think of anythin' better to look at." His heart jolted as Vincent's brow pinched together just slightly, comprehending Cid's words. The warm curling froze and Cid felt the need to explain. "'Cause, yer know, yer've got nice eyes." Epic. Fail. "I mean, unique eyes," Cid added, hoping he didn't sound like the complete ass he now felt, hoping the nonchalant second shrug might level out his word fuckery. He gesticulated with a hand. "Yer know what? Yer've won again," he broke the contact and took a casual gulp of his drink, swallowing past the scolding sensation. He finished it and rose to his feet. "Yer want another drink?"

Watching him with a peculiar expression, Vincent shook his head slightly to Cid's question, He looked… confused, as though he was sure he had misunderstood Cid's words, or was trying to decipher some other meaning to them. Cid was tempted to say something along the lines of 'oh, come on! Yer tellin' me yer _don't_ have nice eyes? Yer that _thick_?'

Taking his empty mug back to the countertop he proceeded to make himself another drink. He suddenly needed a beer more than tea, but he couldn't promise himself he'd stop at one and they would probably be encountering more Shinra troops at Fort Condor, so it'd be unwise to fight drunk. _Learn from experience, Cid._

After he had poured his second drink he set the kettle back on the element, and it was then he felt the dull aches in his hands. He massaged one, feeling out the extent of pain, but it was merely a little bruised. Nothing big, luckily. His arms were sorer from working the levers.

"Sorry," Vincent's voice floated into the silence.

Cid turned back to him, unaware he had seen him rubbing his palm. "Don't apologize," he berated with a scowl, taking his drink back to the table. The awkward air had disintegrated and he found himself staring at the gunman once again, unable to look away for long. "Yer saved a town. Damn lucky to have yer on the team." When Vincent's eyes lowered despondently to the table Cid felt a little stab of anger at the man's negativity. "Hey, don't do that."

Vincent's gaze lifted, brow furrowed.

"Don't yer dare go thinkin' bad about yerself again," Cid told him firmly, pointing a finger accusingly at him with the same hand holding his mug. "I can't stand mopin'."

For a moment the gunman did nothing but stare. "When did I become so predicable?" He said, more to himself than to Cid, focus shifting to his drink.

Unsure what to say without insulting the man, Cid slapped a palm on the table and stood up, regaining Vincent's attention. "C'mon, I'm takin' yer to the bridge for a change in perspective." When his response was nothing more than a questioning frown, he said, "Wanna watch a storm?"

Seeming to ponder Cid's offer, Vincent rose to his feet slowly. They both left their drinks in the galley as they made their way to the bridge. The only crewmembers in there was Berto, his broken arm still resting in a sling, and Kejon, who was learning how to navigate through thick atmospheric turbulence. They exchanged pleasantries before they returned to their quiet talking, and Cid came to a stop at the glass dome with Vincent on his left.

The air outside was saturated with rain and heavy cloud. The _Highwind_ was passing above a vast, beautiful valley of a large mountain and a massif, visible from a break in the dark clouds. Water streamed down the window, blurring their view somewhat.

"How's that for perspective?" Cid asked rhetorically, folding his arms as he gazed at the vast, impressive land rolling away beneath them.

Vincent was quiet for a considering second. "I didn't realize you meant it so literally."

Cid gave a soft nasal huff. "I wanted to show yer the land from above… and what we might lose if we don't defeat Sephiroth." He admired the changing mountain peaks, silent for a brief pause. He could feel the air around Vincent heavy with questioning. "There's only us fightin' for this world… Well, us and Shinra, but let's face it, there's a better chance of Sephiroth surrenderin' than then idiots stoppin' him. But, think about it: Just _us_ against the unknown. With Cloud gone, we're down a major player." Cid turned to Vincent, watching reflected light from the streaming rain run down his profile. "That makes our chances really slim. But with you… We can't take down Sephiroth without yer." At this Vincent's eyes turned from their observation of the rain, finding Cid's. "We need yer."

Vincent didn't move or blink for a long moment, and Cid found himself captive in his gaze, unable to look away. Finally, Vincent broke their connection, glancing distantly to the view, expression tight with troubled thoughts. "I don't know if I can do that…" He admitted, his deep voice quiet, almost drowned out amongst the thrumming of the rain.

"Why not?" Cid found himself asking.

The gunman seemed lost in his trauma, eyebrows furrowing in reaction to his thoughts. "Sephiroth… what he's become... it's my sin."

Cid shifted to face Vincent fully. "What?"

Vincent deliberately avoided his eyes, choosing instead to fixate on a point outside. "I failed to stop it. The experiment."

Cid didn't blink. "What experiment?"

"… The Jenova Project."

Something icy slid down Cid's spine. "You were _there_ when Sephiroth was created?"

Vincent's eyes glazed over, haunted, tormented as he relieved his painful memories. A ghosting emotion played across his features. He didn't respond to Cid, in fact he seemed to have forgotten the Captain was there. His right hand rose to his chest beneath his cape and covered his heart, his eyebrows twisting in recollection. It wasn't difficult for Cid to piece together the dotted information he'd received.

"Hojo shot yer for protestin' against the project…?"

Pulled from his visions, Vincent turned his eyes to Cid's. So many things flickered in them. He realized he was touching his chest and lowered his hand, averting his eyes once again as though ashamed he had dropped his carefully guarded mask. His eyes hardened once again, and Cid felt a small pang of disappointment.

"My journey ends when I have killed Hojo," he stated coolly, eyes ahead. "I can't go any further. I won't..."

"Then we're probably fucked," Cid told him a little harshly. He folded his arms and glared at the landscape. "Say goodbye to all this." He lingered a second longer before turning from the view, starting to walk away. "I hope _you_ can pass away peacefully, then yer don't have to witness the rest of us burnin'." He left Vincent standing at the dome, leaving the bridge entirely. A burning anger was running through his veins, but he wasn't completely sure what contributed to it the most. Was it Vincent's warped sense of guilt? Was it the fact that he refused to help defeat Sephiroth? Or was it something else?

"Cid," Barret's voice called.

Cid wrenched himself from his thoughts to find himself passing the galley. The large gunman was stood in the doorway, a drink in hand.

"What's up with you?" Barret asked, noticing the pilot's clenched jaw.

Cid aborted a roll of his eyes and instead shook his head. "Nothin'. Just Vincent. What're yer doin'?"

Barret's eyebrows pinched together. "Vincent? His doom and gloom finally pissed ya off?"

The pilot sighed, propping his hands on his hips in an agitated manner. "He won't help us defeat Sephiroth. He just wants Hojo."

Barret shifted on his feet. "Well… it's gotta be tough for him. I can't blame him." When Cid frowned at him, puzzled, Barret continued. "Sephiroth is the child of the woman he once loved. I guess you didn't know that. I can't imagine how conflicted he must feel."

Cid's eyebrows had made their way up his forehead and, for a second, words deserted him. "How do you know that?"

"He pretty much told us when we woke him," Barret answered gravely. "He refused to join us when he heard we were going after Sephiroth, but he saw his chance to get Hojo."

Cid opened his mouth, but closed it wordlessly. Vincent's history just kept unraveling in segments, and with each new bit of information his situation became more and more shocking.

"If it's possible to convince him to help us against Sephiroth, though, you're the one to do it," Barret said, suddenly by the pilot's side, clapping a hand on his shoulder amicably. "He likes you. You're the only one he talks to."

Cid heard his last conversation with Vincent. "He might not any more. Damn, I'm such a dick."

Before Barret could enquire, Cid dismissed himself and headed to his Captain's quarters, wanting quiet. With each footstep he felt tiny bolts of guilt, and Barret's words repeating in his head. He had heard all these facts about Vincent and none of them had come from the man himself. Cloud, Tifa, Yuffie, Cait and Barret had all given him snippets of what they knew, and together it made an awful, horrendous story. Vincent had the right to be cold, he had the right to refuse more fighting.

At his door he paused, teetering on the brink of returning to the bridge to apologize to Vincent. But Cid was awkward with apologies, and he didn't trust himself for it to sound genuine instead of angry – because was _was_ angry. With himself.

He entered his quarters and shut the door. How much longer until they reached Fort Condor? He didn't even think to ask Berto on the bridge. Cid flopped down on his bed, arms under his head, and stared at the ceiling for a few minutes, but the persistent buzz in his limps prevented any hope for napping, and his thoughts would not switch channel from Station Vincent.

"Goddamnit," he muttered, swinging his legs off the bed and sitting up. He owed Vincent that apology, and the sooner he got it done, the sooner he would stop feeling guilty.

He left his quarters and made his way back to the bridge. Barret was no longer in the galley, and Cid had to wonder where he and the rest of the team were lounging on the ship. They didn't have a cabin, and Cid hadn't seen them since they had left Corel.

Berto and Kejon were still on the bridge. But no one else. When asked, they told him Vincent had left a minute after Cid. With the only known source of guaranteed privacy being his quarters, Cid knew where to find him.

A minute later he knocked on the solid door. "Vincent."

There was a brief wait before the door slid open and the gunman looked at him from the dark cabin, eyes glowing dimly. There was no expression to gauge his mood, no indication that he was angry or annoyed.

"I'm sorry," Cid said quickly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I shouldn't have spoken to yer like that. Yer don't deserve that shit from me – or from anyone."

Vincent watched him soundlessly, something pensive working into his eyes. Cid saw a man who, now, had not only lost his life and family, but a loved one. And a reminder of that love was running around bent on dominating the planet, killing people and committing terrible acts. No wonder he was so averse to helping them defeat Sephiroth.

"Well… remember that apology," Cid said, starting to back away. "Yer one of only a handful of people to get one from me." He gave a redundant goodbye salute before turning away, but before he could take more than a few steps Vincent stopped him.

"Cid," he said, and the pilot turned back, waiting. "… When I defeat Hojo… I will consider staying with you. With Avalanche."

Something lifted from Cid's heart. "Vince, I'm sorry if I made yer feel guilty, but yer don't have to." He paused, wavering on the decision to say what he did next. "I heard about you and… Sephiroth's mother. I didn't realize."

Vincent looked briefly irritated that Cid had voiced that, but his expression dropped and he sighed softly. "It's in the past now. She is long gone…"

Something was pushing Cid to ask it, daring him: "He's not… _yours_, is he?"

Vincent didn't seem surprised by his question. He shook his head. "No… It was unrequited…"

_Phew._ Cid walked back slowly. "Sorry to hear that." And because Vincent obviously needed something lighthearted to chase away the darkness, he added, "The one I love hasn't returned my feelin's either." When Vincent looked at him, Cid said, "Well, she is cold and metal." He gestured to the airship around them.

Vincent's eyes warmed to his jest and Cid felt his heart fluttered just a little. Lame, but sadly true; he enjoyed coaxing smiles from the gunman, however small or vague they might be. When did Cid start craving that? When did he start feeling giddy and stupidly pleased whenever the man looked at him?

"I want yer there with us, at the end," Cid found himself blurting out. His mouth and brain were going to have to have serious talks. "Yer as much a part of Avalanche as I am. But I'll respect yer choice, whatever yer do."

Vincent stared at him. He was surprised, either by Cid's admission or his complete turn-around attitude (because, really, twenty minutes ago Cid had stormed off at the same topic). His features had softened and his mask had slipped. Cid's insides twisted pleasantly.

"Thank you, Cid," he said, his voice smooth and warm, carrying a grateful weight that slid down the Captain's spine.

They watched each other silently; unsure what else to say, unaware the gap between them had shorted significantly. Cid decided it would get awkward in the next few seconds whether he wanted to stay there or not, so he made to walk away again.

"Get some rest," he suggested, edging away. "We're probably a few more hours away from Fort Condor."

Vincent's lips parted, about to say something. But they closed and he nodded instead. Disappointed for some reason, Cid finally turned around and walked away, back to his own room. Once there, he closed the door, lent against it and stared off into the space beyond his room. His heart was doing strange things and he didn't like that he liked it…

/

Some hours later, Berto's voice announced over the speaker system that they were approaching Fort Condor. Cid awoke from his light snooze, disorientated for a second. He hadn't expected to fall asleep with so many things circling his head, especially considering most of them were about Vincent. Cid pressed the heel of his palms into his eyes, rubbing away the haziness. By the time he had pulled on his boots, jacket, gloves and goggles the slight quivering of the _Highwind_'s engines changed frequency. They were decreasing speed.

The team was already on the bridge by the time he had arrived. He caught Vincent's eye as he passed, making his way to the helm.

"Fort Condor ahead, Captain," Berto updated him, using his one good hand to steady the wheel. "Long range sensors have detected Shinra forces half a mile away."

"They want the Huge Materia," Red said, sat at the window dome.

"Is that a _bird_?" Yuffie questioned loudly.

From their clear vantage point in the sky they could easily see what appeared to be a huge, _huge_ bird perched atop the mako reactor, which was situated at the top of the Fort. Its dark golden feathers shone under the sun, motionless.

Cid's nose scrunched in displeasure. "Why do I get the feelin' this ain't gonna be an easy mission?"

/

**AN:** I find the Fort Condor mission boring, so I'm going to try and cut it as short as possible in the next chapter. Thanks for reading 8-)


	30. Foolish and Optimistic

**Journey**

/

**AN:** I bring you fanart for chapter _27. Chapter 26_, but since I can't put URLs in the chapter you can find the link in my profile. It'll be cool if I can do something for future chapters, but it's tough atm. Btw, I'm finally getting pissed off with the chapter titles so I'm going to give them specific names instead of numbers. Less confusing. Now that's said, onwards to the fic!

/

The _Highwind_ approached the Fort's west, finding a suitable area of level land to hold. It was sheltered from possible attacks by the looming rocky terrain, which would make it difficult for land assaults. Avalanche descended as quickly as they could, knowing Shinra were on their way.

"That's a pretty weird mountain," Yuffie commented, looking up at the large Fort. It was essentially that: A mountain, in which someone had decided to carve out a defensive facility, and on which Shinra had thought would be a good place to build a reactor. Well, it was in a way, no one could have sabotaged it. Apart from the bird.

"Let's go find this damn Huge Materia," Cid told them, already making his way along a single trail worn into the rocky ground. It wound upwards at an incline and disappeared into the mountain ahead of them. It looked like a thigh-busting trail.

It was. They followed the path into a hollow within the mountain, sweaty and aching. If Cid had known they'd be going rock climbing he would have brought a towel. Instead, he was forced to swipe the back of his glove underneath his goggles to mop his brow. His teammates mimicked his actions, save for Vincent. The gunman was watching Cid from the corner of his eye, through the curtain of his hair. He looked away, but the brief glance was all it took for the prickles of another sweat threat to break out (for some strange reason). The pilot was still trying hard to ignore the tight sensation in his gut every time he looked at the man – a sensation that appeared whenever he caught Vincent looking at _him_, too. Maybe it was an ego thing; when one dude checks out another dude, his feeds his ego, resulting in _that_ feeling. Plausible. So why didn't he believe himself?

Shaking away his thoughts, Cid turned his eyes to their surroundings. Inside the hollow was a circular opening in the ceiling, and from it dangled a length of heavy, old rope.

"You've gotta be kidding me," Barret griped, glaring at it. "Haven't these people heard of stairs?"

After another climb, they found themselves in what appeared to be a large, strange communal chamber. Various industrial pipes and metal paneling paved the walls, and a single circular table sat lonely along the edge of a mezzanine. There was a middle-aged woman seated at it. She was surprised by their presence but was put at ease once introductions were quickly out of the way. Cid wasn't too thrilled by her lengthy response, in which she managed to explain Fort Condor's current situation, as well as its damn history.

"Look, lady, we got all we need to know," Cid cut across her detailed account of the Fort's worst winter, some amount of time later. "Big Condor, protectin' egg on top of Huge Materia, Shinra wants to kill the thing, blah fuckin' blah." She closed her mouth, affronted, aborting her next words. The rest of Avalanche didn't even scold him for his bad manners.

"Yeah, and by the way, we detected Shinra heading this way just before we got here," Yuffie added. "They want the Huge Materia."

The woman, who had named herself Karren, looked shocked. "They do? Oh no! I have to alert the commander!" And she whisked away without another word.

"Do we have to beat up more Shinra?" Yuffie whined.

"Looks like it," Barret sighed.

They followed the woman through an exit doorway and up several short, rock-carved stairs until they came to another, smaller chamber, paneled with wooden boards. Karren was talking quite rapidly to a rather muscular man, who was very likely the commander – if his war-bandana and his sweat-stained tank top were any indication. He looked startled at Avalanche's sudden appearance.

"Hm, they sure don't _look_ Shinra," the man directed at Karren, eyeing the group with a mistrusting scrutiny. "What're you lot doing here?"

"We want the Huge Materia," Cid answered simply, folding his arms in a business-like manner.

"To save the world," Yuffie felt the need to add.

The commander studied them for a moment as something clicked into play within his hardened gaze. "You can have the Huge Materia," he began, his tone suggesting an impending arrangement. "_If_ you help us protect the Condor."

Cid groaned. Yuffie groaned. Barret growled.

/

It was actually pretty fortunate that the good people at the Fort were something along the lines of battle experts. Had they not shown Avalanche the artillery they had accumulated Cid would never have noticed the shelf of stolen missiles they had taken from Shinra. It was Cid's candy store, and watching the _Highwind_ launch those missiles half an hour later at the Shinra convoy was Cid's own personal theater. Better than Loveless. It was with immense enjoyment that he and Avalanche watched the remaining troops run away with their tails between their legs as Fort Condor's people cheered. The fight had been barely that, in fact, the _Highwind_ had pretty much taken care of it on her own. A feat that earned Avalanche a round of back slapping, cheers, and the threat – or offer – of a mighty meal. They declined quickly.

"The Shinra won't be back any time soon!" The commander exclaimed, admiring the sight of a troop-less view from a rectangular window as he exchanged congratulatory handshakes with his fellow fighters.

Cid didn't spare them much attention as he activated his crew communicator. "Holoski, how's she doin'? Did she take on any gunfire?"

"Negative, Captain," came the hearty reply. "She's all good."

Satisfied, Cid closed the link just as a young man rushed into the room, halting before the commander with a sense of urgency. In the hum and drone of the other celebrators, his words were muffled – but a second later everyone ceased talking as a bright flood of light bleached the room of color and form, and the unmistakable roar of an enormous blaze invaded their hearing. Cid's eyes clamped shut and a sharp bolt of alarm gripped his body – was this Sephiroth's doing again? Where they about to be pitched into the past by that freaky alien bastard?

The light receded with a magical pulse, leaving Cid's eyes sore as they attempted to readjust. Everyone in the room appeared dazed, blinking back their vision. Barely a second had passed when an undiscernible and distant sound followed.

"What was that?" Cait asked in wonder, looking around at everyone for a sign of recognition in their faces.

The commander hurried to the small window and peered out. "The condor…" He said, trailing off uncertainly. He turned and strode to one of the two doors in the room. "Something's happened to the condor."

Avalanche followed him, with a few curious people trailing behind. The commander took them through a network of ascending tunnels and stairs until some minutes later they emerged into the cool, fresh air and exposed winds of the high altitude. It was disconcerting to find themselves at a rather sheer drop on this side of the mountain, and with careful haste they climbed the remaining distance to the top via a curving set of stairs.

"Oh, we're on top of the reactor," Yuffie noticed with surprise as they registered their surroundings, boots and shoes clunking on the metal ground. Her eyes fell on movement behind the pillar ahead of them. "Hey, guys, there's something over there…"

Cid followed her around the vertical structure and stopped a step behind. Before them, in what remained of the huge, broken shards of the egg, was a baby condor. It noticed its arriving audience and tilted its head curiously, studying them with bright, clear eyes.

"Where's its mom?" Yuffie asked, directing her voice to whoever was behind her. The mother condor was nowhere to be seen.

"That flash of light," the commander said, stepping in Cid's peripheral vision. "It must have been the parent. Its job is done now the chick has hatched. It died."

Something glistened close to the nest. Yuffie stepped forward carefully, aware that, although the chick was newly hatched, it still towered over them all, armed with a sharp beak. She bent down and retrieved the object just before the baby bird gave a testing caw and flapped its wings experimentally. They watched, transfixed, as its feathers beat the air, throwing up gusts of wind, and within a few seconds it was airborne, flying away until it disappeared from sight.

"You don't witness that every day," Cait remarked, an awestruck note in his unique accent.

"And I doubt you will again," the commander said, still squinting at the fading light in the sky. "A condor is very rare."

Cid lowered his eyes to the nest. A few stray feathers remained amongst the shell fragments. He heard the footsteps of his team turning away, but he found his own feet carrying him forward. He crouched by the nest and picked up a feather, twisting his wrist to observe the full quill.

"A nice souvenir," Red said, suddenly at his side.

Cid almost started, having thought everyone had walked back in. He twirled the feather again for Red's visual benefit. "Want another headdress decoration?"

The hound considered it for a moment. "No, I think you should keep it. When we save the world it will be something we can all look at and remember."

Cid rose to his feet and tucked the large feather into his jacket, wedging it in his cargo pants waistband. He turned with Red from the nest, and as he looked up he could have sworn he saw the edges of a ragged cape disappear behind the pillar. Everyone else had returned inside.

Once back down inside the room they had vacated, Cid arrived in time to see the commander take a familiar chest from another Fort resident. He caught Cid's gaze and approached.

"In thanks for helping us, and as par our deal, here is the Huge Materia," he said, handing the chest to Cid and clapping a manly hand on the pilot's arm, adopting a thankful smile. "You helped us save the condors. Shinra wanted to destroy them to reach the reactor, but hopefully, now that you have the Huge Materia, they won't be too bothered about this place. Besides, they can't do any harm now, with the condors gone." He squeezed Cid's arm, a look of admiration growing in his face.

Cid managed a quick, tight smile as he pulled his arm from the man's grasp. "Yeah, yer welcome," he said, unable to inject any enthusiasm into it.

Avalanche took their leave quickly. They were cheered from the mountain with invites to return whenever, but both parties knew that would depend on the much bigger fight in store for the group. Once aboard, the _Highwind_ took to the skies, fully armed with missiles courtesy of the Fort's artillery. Cid had just set down the second Huge Materia next to the first when Cait bound into his open room.

"Captain, I've got another lead on Shinra's next move," he said, bouncing up and down on the mog's head.

"That's great, but barge in here again without knockin' and I'll dismantle yer," Cid told him, setting the feather on his nightstand. He faced the little cat, eyeing him. "Seriously, I'm curious what make yer tick."

If a robot could show discomfort, Cait was doing just that. He stopped bouncing. "There's another Huge Materia that the Shinra haven't gotten, and it's from the underwater reactor."

Cid's eyebrows twitched. "I assumed they'd already snatched that and the Nibelheim one since they didn't mention it in their meetin'."

"I'm a little fuzzy on their current plans," Cait replied. "They discuss things without me. They don't consider me an equal in that company…" He trailed off, sounding a little miffed. "But I do know that they're on high alert now. They'll be expecting Avalanche to appear. This one will be risky."

Cid folded his arms, considering. "We can't back down now, just 'cause it's 'risky'. Hell, the whole mission has been risky. We can't let Shinra get ahold of the next Huge Materia."

"But we'd be practically walkin' into their hands," Cait reasoned sensibly. He held his own hands out in a placating gesture. "Hold off on a course of action just until I can gain more information from the inside. Maybe I can learn something that might help."

Cid squinted suspiciously at the cat. "I still don't completely trust yer."

Cait shoulders dropped. "After everything I've done? I'm on _your_ side. Besides, how will keeping you out of Shinra's hands play against you?"

"Don't take it personally," Cid waved a dismissive hand at him, heading to his door. Cait and his mog walked with him. "I don't trust anyone." Well, that _was_ a bit of an exaggeration. He trusted a few people, the most recent being a certain red-eyed gunman. "But the quicker we get to the underwater reactor the quicker we can use the Huge Materias against Sephiroth."

Cait followed the Captain from his room and along the deck. "Going through Junon to get to that reactor means going through a lot of Shinra checkpoints and guards. With them on alert it'll be impossible, and most of this team is pretty high profile. We can't sneak in again."

Cid knew the cat was right. They would be throwing themselves at Shinra, and then who would save the planet? He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, wincing as strands pulled at the stitches still at the nape of his neck. The team would seriously have to look at finding a cure materia, however rare those bastard things were. It would be foolish to go into battle against Sephiroth without one.

They arrived at the bridge where the team had gathered upon boarding, presumably to plan their next course of action. Cid, with the help of Cait, explained what they had been discussing, and announced, somewhat reluctantly, that Cait's suggestion was indeed a wise decision. Avalanche would not be pursuing the underwater reactor HM.

"Maybe we can steal it from Shinra once _they've_ retrieved it," Red offered. "They will wait on us for only so long before they need it."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Cid said, pacing along the decking, surrounded by his team. "If they plan to trap us, they'll leave it there as bait, and there might be a window of opportunity to catch 'em off-guard once they become negligent. _Which _is possible if we make 'em wait long enough."

"Sounds good, blondie," Barret nodded, agreeing. "What about the Huge Materia from Nibelheim?"

"If I'm correct, Heidigger already collected that one," Cait answered. "I will try to find where he's stored it."

"Soooo," Yuffie began into the silence that followed, looking between them all. "What'll we do now?"

Everyone found their eyes meeting, unsure for a moment on any direction they needed to go.

"Uh, Captain," Berto spoke up from the helm. "Now might be a good time for me to tell you that… we'll need to refuel soon."

There was a pause from Cid while it clicked as to why his co-pilot had sounded hesitant. He swore sharply, meeting Berto's eyes in an exchange of grave looks.

"What?" Barret asked, casting a questioning frown at them.

"The _Highwind_ can only refuel at two locations," Cid told them all. "Junon and Midgar. Both stations're on Shinra ground."

"Damnit," Barret cursed under his breath, shaking his head at their bad fortune.

"If we power down at night, book in at a town or village, we would conserve energy," Berto said, adjusting the wheel with his good arm. "It'll help."

"Not for long," Cid griped, fingering the hair still caught in his stitches. It was pissing him off. He turned to Cait. "What's security like around the refuelin' station?"

"I'll find out," the cat replied. "But it'll be another risk if we attempt it."

Cid looked out the dome glass at the dark sky. The last of the daylight had seen them back up to the _Highwind_, but it had faded quickly. They had stolen two Huge Materias in the space of one day, and now those events were starting to weigh on his tired limbs. He could see the fatigue in Yuffie's usually bright eyes and the once strong, sure way Barret carried himself. Red had lain down at some point, head on his paws as he listened to the conversation. And Vincent, well, he didn't look that bad, and Cid was happy to assume he was resting enough in the comfort and privacy of that spare cabin.

"Find the nearest town or village," Cid directed at Berto. "We'll set down for the night and I can go over the ship's systems and prioritize power distribution."

Berto gave an acknowledging nod and turned to his console by the wheel as Yuffie pushed away from the railing she had been leaning on and said, "I sometimes forget you're this really smart engineer."

"Well, I don't forget yer this really annoyin' ninja brat," he remarked snootily. He received a sour pout for his jab.

"You two," Cait said shaking his head. Below and behind on the lower level, Vincent's eyes lightened, amused.

Berto announced to them a second later that he had located a nearby town and would be landing in fifteen minutes. The dark landscape outside the dome window began to swing around as the _Highwind_ changed her course. They watched the remainder of their flight in relative silence, with the occasional voiced observation as they passed over something interesting. Cid took the wheel from Berto when it was time to descend, and with care and expertise he lowered the _Highwind_ onto her landing stilts with the barest of jilts. The lights of a small village twinkled in the darkness ahead, nestled in a sparse wood.

"You guys go," Cid told his teammates as they gathered their packs. "I've got a few things to do onboard before I turn in."

Barret patted a shoulder heavily as he passed. "Don't be too long, leader needs his sleep."

The Captain turned to his co-pilot. "Inform the crew they're dismissed for the night. Hope the town's got enough rooms for yer all."

They began to file out of the bridge as Cid brought up a set of systems statistics on his console. Their rustle and footsteps sunk into the back of his mind as he began examining his readouts.

"You're planning to stay onboard all night," Vincent stated behind him, once everyone had left. He had snuck up silently.

A smile fought Cid's control before he wrestled it back and turned around. "Yer _can_ read minds, can't yer?" A single eyebrow rose elegantly on Vincent's brow. Cid shrugged. "I'm not leavin' my ship unattended all night, no matter what locks I can activate."

"But you're shutting down all functions?" Vincent questioned. "I may not have much knowledge of airships, but I suspect crew need some essential systems."

Cid huffed softly. "Yeah, yer right. Usually environmental controls would regulate the temperatures and such, but it's a warm night. I won't need 'em."

Vincent was silent for a second, thinking. "Temperatures can drop rapidly, even in mild weather… It would make more sense for me to guard the ship. I need neither sleep nor heating."

The pleasant sensation returned. "I guess…" He found himself saying.

His tone must have come off as suspicious, for Vincent felt he had to explain. "I thought you could rest more soundly off ship…"

It did indeed make more sense. Cid would have half his mind awake on guard duty, and he was really tired; he wouldn't get a proper rest. It was pleasing to think Vincent had his interest in mind, but it was more likely he was simply looking out for the welfare of the team as a whole. A tired Captain would be a shitty leader. Fingering his stitches again, Cid adopted a considering expression. He trusted Vincent to guard the ship, but it was still essentially separating a parent from their child, there was still that attachment. But then again, there was no better guardian than Vincent. Cid would rest better knowing his baby was under the best protection.

"Well, thanks," he finally said, fighting to urge to smile gratefully, shocking himself that he hadn't even argued about this. "I'll show yer how to lock down as soon as I'm done." He turned back to his console, keying in a few commands to bring him another screen of information. "I never did ask yer what yer thought of flyin'," he said.

There was a short pause. "It is a fascinating experience. I understand your passion for it." His boots clinked softly on the ground as he made his way into Cid's vision and approached the window, looking out at the dark land. The light of the moon outlined his profile and Cid couldn't help studying him. "There is such freedom with an airship…"

There was a touch of longing in his tone that squeezed Cid's chest. He ignored the data on his console. "There anywhere yer've ever wanted to go?"

Vincent's head moved slightly and he took a moment to answer. "As a Turk I was sent to various locations," he said, reflectively. "But there was one place I passed through in western Wutai…."

"After this is over, I'll take yer there."

Vincent turned around, his eyes glowing like little orbs of magic. He fixed Cid with a long stare "You don't quit, do you?"

The corner of the pilot's lips upturned into a smirk. "I've been called stubborn once or twice." A recollection came to him. "As well as foolish and optimistic."

Vincent froze for a second at his own words all those weeks ago. He blinked slowly and, if not for the mantle of his cape, Cid was sure he would have seen a small smile. That annoying, persistent sensation nested in Cid's chest again, and he forced himself to look back at his controls. He felt Vincent's eyes on him for a few seconds more before he turned back to the view.

He left the gunman on the bridge a few minutes later to visit the system control room, where he made a few adjustments to the ships internal workings before powering everything down. The hum of machinery died away as the lights blinked out, pitching everything into darkness. Cid clicked on the flashlight he had picked up and made his way along the deck to his cabin, where he grabbed his weapon and pack before making his way back to the bridge. Vincent was where he had left him, illuminated by the only light source from the moon. He painted a memorable picture against the natural backdrop.

"C'mon, time to lock everythin' down," Cid said. He led him back through the pitch black ship, knowing he probably didn't need a flashlight to guide his way; he knew his airship like the back of his hand. Once at the exit hatch to the outer deck, he shone the light on the panel by the door. "It's all digital, so these're the codes yer have to punch in to lock the hatch and set the security alarm." He showed Vincent what to do, and then showed him the way to unlock. The gunman had a good memory, demonstrating his skills when Cid asked him to repeat what he had done. "Good." He reached into his pocket and withdrew his phone. He held it out to Vincent. "Just in case of anythin', phone Barret, and he'll get me."

Vincent hesitated. "I've never used a mobile phone."

A grin broke out over Cid's face but he smothered it quickly. Judging from the indignant pull of Vincent's eyebrows he thought the pilot was laughing at him. Cid shook his head, straightening his expression. "It's easy to use," he explained, shifting a little closer to the man as he flipped the phone open, lighting their faces with the glow from the screen. He tried very hard to ignore the distinguished scent of leather, but as Vincent leaned a little closer his hair trailed across Cid's uncovered forearm. The resulting tingles were far harder to ignore. "Just push this button to access the address book and these to scroll up and down." His phone beeped with every button as he showed Barret's name. "Click this to call and that to end." He snapped the phone shut and held it out again, edging back a little. It was getting warm in there. "Have a play around with it."

Vincent took the phone, lifting his gaze from it to Cid's. In the light of the torch his eyes were vivid colors of blood. "Thanks."

His voice, deep and soothing, slid down Cid's spine in a warm wave, pooling in his navel. Swallowing against a sudden dry throat, Cid shifted his weight onto one foot in a casual manner, hoping some form of motion might rid him of it. He found himself saying, "There're some games on there yer can play if yer get bored. I'm pretty sure a sharp mind like yours can figure it out." Turning to open the hatch, he punched the release and stepped into the fresh air. It was turning cool. A wind whipped around the outer deck, pulling at Cid's hair and once again agitating his wound. He growled.

"Something wrong?" Vincent asked, stood in the shadows of the hatch, watching him struggle with the back of his neck.

"Fuckin' stitches," Cid muttered, winding his index finger around the offending locks. "How the hell can short hair get tangled?"

Vincent watched him struggle for a few seconds before stepping out into the moonlight. He placed a hand on the pilot's shoulder and turned him around wordlessly. Cid lowered his arm and felt Vincent gently tugging at the twisted strands. The knuckles of his gloved hand butted his nape softly as he worked, lulling the pilot into a placid state and doing nothing to banish those pesky sensations. _Quite_ the opposite. A second later he felt his hair and the stitch separate, the hand leave his skin, and sensed rather than heard Vincent take a step back. Cid turned around.

"Thanks," he responded, his voice weird to his own ears. There was an unusual change to Vincent's eyes that Cid couldn't name. It was ambiguous, but if he had to compare it to something he would chose trepidation; as though Vincent had done something he wasn't sure he should have. Cid felt the insane urge to put him at ease. He slapped a hand on Vincent's arm amiably. "I'll be back in the mornin'."

Vincent gave a slow, barely perceptible nod. For a brief moment Cid felt like he was watching someone else, a different man, but the impenetrable wall that had momentarily disappeared sprung back into the gunman's features, and his expression was unreadable once again. "Goodnight."

Tearing his eyes from him, Cid hoisted his pack onto his shoulder, secured his staff and leapt nimbly over the balustrade. As he straightened up once on the ground he heard the distant sound of the hatch closing, and then silence befell the night. Cid cast his eyes up at the deck. He could ignore it all he liked, he could continue to lie to himself, but he knew what those little sensations were telling him…


	31. Weapons and Pancakes

**Journey**

/

Sleep had been elusive that night, chased to and fro by a barrage of thoughts. Cid managed to cleanse his mind of anything too stimulating, forcing it blank in order for oblivion to settle in. It was no easy feat with his current issues swinging around. For him to do so, he had to convince his own intellect he was suffering nothing more than a glorified man crush. Just that. A man crush. He'd heard of them, hell, he had been the object of man crushes once or twice from lesser minded engineers in the Shinra Academy. He'd also told them where to stuff their praise, but he knew it was nothing more than simple admiration. Even the pat on his ass… respect, nothing more. And after many restless minutes staring at the dark ceiling of his inn room, Cid swiped each thought from his immediate consciousness and stored it within the back recesses of his mind, where they would undoubtedly escape at a later date and pester him further.

The following morning he was jolted from sleep by loud rapping on his door, and Barret's voice calling his name. Cid rubbed the sleep from his eyes and kicked his way out of the bed sheets. He pulled on his undies on his way to open the door. Barret informed him it was nearly 9.00am, and his crew had already returned to the ship. Kicking himself for sleeping late, Cid had hastily dressed, grabbed his things and joined his teammates in the trek back out of town. His baby awaited his return, safe and sound as he knew she would be.

"What would you do if you found Vincent had scratched it up or blown holes in it?" Yuffie pestered him with ridiculous-scenario-number-five as they made their way out of the woods.

Cid pulled off his best deadpan. "I'm not even gonna answer that one."

"What if the _Highwind_ wasn't here when we got back?" Yuffie called up as Cid took to the rope like a gymnast, eager to put some distance between him and the ninja. "What if Shinra had gotten hold of it?"

Cid hopped over the balustrade. "I'd have left _you_ on it last night," he grumbled. "It'll almost be worth it…" Barret gave him a side-long grin.

Once all onboard, they headed straight to the bridge, catching various greetings from the crew as they carried out their pre-flight duties. Berto was once again at the helm with Kejon, walking him through the console reboot.

"Plot in a flight path for Mideel," Cid ordered, sweeping past them to gaze at the fresh morning sun climbing into the sky. On their way from the village, they had discussed what their next action would be. Cait's controller had been keeping an eye on Shinra activity, but he was still concerned about approaching Junon for either the Huge Materia or fuel. They didn't have a lot of options, so Barret had put forward a suggestion. Although it had barely been two days since leaving them, he proposed they visit Cloud and Tifa in Mideel town. Cid didn't see the point, if there had been any change Tifa would have contacted them, and the flight out there would needlessly suck up fuel they probably couldn't spare. But they were already near the Mideel area, and Cid understood that Barret was worried for Tifa. After a little convincing, Cid had agreed.

"I'll go tell Vincent," Red said, trotting from the bridge.

Cid watched his tail disappear, having hoped _he_ could inform Vincent, and thank him for watching over the _Highwind_ at the same time. A little voice in his head advised him to keep his distances until his high school-style butterflies had disappeared for good. He didn't need that shit. Another, contradictory voice, prodded him with encouraging thoughts that urged him to spend _more_ time near Vincent, and he felt more inclined to follow that one. But he knew he needed to focus on the mission, nothing else. This thing that he felt would only get in the way.

The _Highwind_ rose into the air a few minutes later and soared onwards at a more sedate pace than usual. Cid had capped the ship's speed to conserve fuel, and while it would take them longer to reach destinations, it would last further.

Red returned to the bridge halfway through their flight alone, suggesting they should convene in the galley for the breakfast that they had missed. Minutes later Cid found himself with a bowl of what looked like creamy gruel. It tasted must better though. Yuffie, Red and Cait joined them, providing a source of conversation which hopped from topic to topic quicker than Cid could listen in. He shook his head in vague amusement, spooning the last few mouthfuls of food around his bowl until the natter stopped suddenly. He only registered the quiet when Yuffie spoke next.

"Hey, Vincent, you hungry?"

Cid looked up. Vincent had appeared in the corridor, observing their gathering with a sedate aloofness; evidently something had drawn him out. When had he last eaten? He was probably hungry, Cid doubted he ate anything at the hot springs hotel.

Vincent strode into the galley and to the large refrigerator, pulling out a bottle of water. He leant against the side, one arm folded, and lifted an eyebrow at the audience he had unintentionally enthralled.

"About as involved as you'll get," Barret muttered, turning back to his bowl.

Leaning on the table, Cid turned his attention to Vincent. "Any problems or anythin' last night?"

In the act of raising the bottle to his lips, Vincent met his eyes. Something was different in his gaze. "No, everything was fine."

"Did she cry and keep you up all night?" Barret poked fun at Cid, directing his sarcasm at Vincent.

An eyebrow rose with a touch of humor, which increased a notch when Cid tried defiantly to defend his ship.

"Hey, she does _not_ cry."

Cue the airship tales from Omar, who delighted in telling Avalanche some exaggerated recounts of Cid's devoted affection. Everyone at the table was laughing minutes later save for Cid, who clung to a grumpy disposition as best he could. It felt good to hear laughter, to laugh at some of the more ludicrous stories. Even during these dismal days they still found light. His teammates were truly impressive, even if no one else would ever witness their strengths, even if no one else would ever know what they went through to save the planet.

During the team's distraction, Cid found this a good opportunity to sneak glances at Vincent, whose eyes were fixed on whoever was speaking. He wanted to test out his recent self-theory. As he observed Vincent he experienced a soft jab in his gut, an agreeable nudge that was most definitely nothing to do with the food he had eaten. Cid's eyes were drawn to him like a magnet, and he felt a fond rush just watching him unawares. Man crush, had to be. He should try to quash it while he still could, but that second voice was telling him he didn't want to, and some weak part of him had little power to disobey – especially while he watched Vincent drink. How could something so simple fascinate him so much? How could it look like the most curious action in the world? The steady, deliberate ascent of the bottle to Vincent's lips was the most intriguing action in the world right then. The press of the rim to the swell of his bottom lip, the tip of the bottle, the fall of the liquid, and the sheen of water along his mouth when the rim was pulled away. Exquisite.

Being the current object of ridicule, Cid had to cease his observations as every now and then Omar threw him a look to accompany his story, and his teammates would laugh at his face and take glee in his acerbity.

"Damn, the planet can't end quick enough," he somberly joked after a loud bout of chuckles. It only provoked more.

Berto's announcement over the tannoy informed everyone they were approaching Mideel a short while later. Avalanche had long since eaten their breakfast and had lost track of time. It felt good to unwind with a little joviality and a few embarrassing stories. Cid couldn't help feeling it had done them all some good. Even Vincent, who had remained with them, listening with intrigued attention to the long spun words spewing from Omar's mouth. At least the anecdotes he chose to tell were vaguely flattering.

Once on the bridge he dismissed Berto so he could teach Kejon himself. He talked him through the approach and into an almost smooth landing, with only a few words of rebuke for his rookie slips. He left Berto to shut down everything they didn't need until Avalanche returned, and took his team back to Mideel.

Nothing had changed in the time they had left, even the old man at the town entrance was still there, but with no Tifa to leer at he didn't give them so much as a glance. The little white chocobo chick recognized them and trotted to Yuffie, seeking attention. Cid ushered her on before the crazy owner could show up.

Outside the clinic, they paused. Nothing would have changed in Cloud's condition; did they really want to see his soulless eyes again? Did they really want to suffer that feeling of uselessness _again_? But they could be there for Tifa, at least, and that would be worth it. In they went.

"Hello again," the doctor greeted, noticing their entrance into the waiting room. His eyes flickered to them all and lingered on Vincent. "Your friend's condition remains unchanged."

The team acknowledged his statement and passed from the waiting room into the corridor to Cloud's room. Tifa had pulled a cushioned seat to the window beside the young man's wheelchair, both were gazing out at the view. Barret approached first.

"Hey, Tif," he said, catching her attention. He gave Cloud a look, but the blond made no indication he was aware of him. Even the past two days hadn't brought enough time to fully register his condition, and it was just as painful to watch him now.

Tifa's surprised eyes looked over them all. "I didn't expect to see you back so soon. Did something happen?" She made a head count, but seeing no one missing the tight concern in her features relaxed somewhat. "How's the mission going?"

They gave her a run down on the past events and their triumph over Shinra for the Huge Materia, choosing various places to sit or perch while she listened. She was impressed and proud of them, with a longing in her eyes that told Cid she yearned to be with them again.

"So we thought we'd pay a visit while we wait for the buzz to die down," Barret summed up, sitting on the edge of a chest of drawers. "I bet we're public enemy number one by now."

"We have been for a while now," Cait stated, leaning forward on his mog.

"Somethin' to break the champagne out for," Cid smirked.

"How's Cloud?" Yuffie asked gently, drawing in a more tentative quiet.

Tifa's small smile slid from her face and she turned her brown eyes on the motionless young man. "The same… I don't know what I can do for him." She trailed into silence, pain flickering like dying embers in her gaze. It was the look of someone who could do nothing and knew it.

Before anyone could comfort her with words or gestures, the entire room began to shake, stirring up a deafening roar. The furniture rattled and rocked and Cid was forced to grab the partition to keep himself upright.

"What the hell?" He yelled.

"It's… coming…"

Even amongst the racket of the earthquake they recognized Cloud's voice. Cid's eye snapped to him as Tifa reached out, an expression of shock exposing her face as she clung to her shaking chair. The building creaked and groaned around them, paintings fell from the wall. Distant shouts and screams came from the town.

"Cloud?! What did you say? Cloud?" Tifa tried. But he remained silent, stuck to his lifeless doll-like behavior.

Cid tore his attention from him to the doorway. "We gotta find out what's happenin'!" He called to his team.

They followed him from the room, through the corridors and outside, stumbling into various objects in the proximity. Cid grabbed Yuffie's arm as she pitched forward towards a definite face-plant in the dirt, scanning the town as he did so. People raced about, running around with wild, scared faces.

"The Lifestream –" Came Vincent's deep voice. Cid looked over his shoulder to find the gunman's eyes glowing like lamps. "It's breaking the surface of the planet."

A noise – the likes of which Cid will never forget – trembled the air around them; a mournful, painful wail that weighed in every particle of air and infiltrated every cell of Cid's being. His blood ran cold and the hair on the back of his neck stood up – including the stitches. _What the fuck was that?_

"Shit, this's bad!" Barret yelled with Red braced beside him. "If pure Lifestream bursts outta this town we'll all be goners!"

"We gotta warn the townspeople!" Cid ordered, starting forward. "Barret, grab Tifa and –"

He stalled mid-sentence. Something enormous appeared in the sky, advancing on the town with incredible speed. It gave a mighty, bone-rattling roar, even above the din of the earthquake.

"One of the Weapons!" Cait exclaimed.

The monster's wingspan could have reached from one end of Mideel to the other, but even so it was smaller than Sapphire Weapon. Not a whole lot of comfort in that, but something to note nonetheless. It circled the shaking town, bellowing as it went until it drew closer, kicking up a powerful gale through the street.

"I-is that thing looking at _us_?" Yuffie croaked, arms before her eyes protectively as dust and dirt was flung at them.

"It's coming down!" Red warned, hackles raised.

The ground shuddered hard under the landing weight of the huge creature. It crushed two buildings beneath its colossal mass like they were nothing more than cardboard, sending roof tiles, planks and debris flying in all directions. Avalanche was forced to duck.

A shadow fell over Cid and he dared look up. The monster loomed before them, its beady little eyes staring at them – at Cid. His heart tripped over itself, but no, it was glaring to his right. He looked. Vincent was beside him. His eyes were gold.

A sharp string of bullets tore through the air as Barret yelled, "Eat this, fucker!" And everything sprang into action. Yuffie zipped past him with her conformer in hand, Red bound past and flew into the air. Vincent's eyes shimmered red once more and he leapt into the fray, leaving Cid to watch him and his team mates fight gallantly against a being that probably had its own gravitation pull. Their fierce determination and courage ignited something within Cid. He gripped his spear tightly, and with a battle cry that strained his throat he sprinted into the fight – a fight that seemed futile. But they _were_ doing damage! They were mere insects to the mammoth Weapon, and yet their strength together inflicted physical injury, provoking an enraged snarl from the creature. It swiped at Red as he dashed along its appendage towards its face. The hound had to abort his target to avoid a battering, but where he failed Yuffie succeeded; her weapon slicing surface lesions just short of the monster's eye. It roared and shook its head, flinging away its attackers before coiling down and unleashing its spring, leaping into the air, whipping air currents into motion all around. Avalanche landed safely and watched its ascent.

"I didn't get to use my Ultima," Yuffie puffed regretfully as the Weapon flew out of vision.

The ground ceased rumbling and shaking, leaving everything in a shell-shocked state. Locals poked their heads out their doors, scanning the skies for the monster.

"Why the hell did it attack us?" Cid voiced his concern aloud. "Why the hell was it _here_?" He glanced across at Vincent's overly vivid eyes, but the man's gaze was flitting across the ground. Something else had grabbed his attention. Before Cid could ask, the shakes began anew, stronger, more violent, and he almost lost his balance. "Shit!"

Buildings were being shaken to pieces, pots shattered and windows smashed. People screamed and shouted once again, running towards the town border. They knew something Avalanche didn't. Cid wasn't going to risk anything for ignorance.

"Go!" He shoved Barret and Yuffie, pointing to the town entrance. "All of yer, get back to the _Highwind_!"

"What about Tifa and Cloud?" Red called.

"I'll get 'em, now hurry!" Cid jabbed his finger again, ordering his team to comply. They did so, albeit hesitantly. The pilot turned and broke into a sprint for the clinic, avoiding falling objects from the buildings around. A flower vase exploded as he passed, showering him with soil. "Tifa!" He bellowed, hoping she would hear him across the distance and noise. The earthquakes increased, throwing Cid to the ground. He scrambled to his feet as a mighty CRACK erupted before him. A large, jagged fissure had opened up the ground, threatening to swallow him as it yawned wider. The earth was splitting open. Cid sucked in a gulp as air as he prepared to jump across, but something gripped his arm and pulled him back. He jerked around. Vincent was right behind him.

"You can't reach them in time –" Vincent shouted above the noise, his eyes hard but meaningful. "The Lifestream is breaching the surface."

"I can't just leave them!" Cid yelled, frowning angrily at the mere thought. "Go back, I'll get 'em out befor –" The ground swayed fiercely, throwing both men to the floor. They rolled down the rapidly inclining road as it erupted into the air, tossing them further away from the clinic. Cid detached himself from the material of Vincent's cape and clambered back to his feet, gawking up the almost vertical summit before him. His balance was almost lost once again as the floor lurched.

"Cid," Vincent called.

Cid couldn't leave without Tifa and Cloud – he couldn't abandon them. He started forward but a strong grasp on his arm halted his movements, dragging him back just as another fracture tore open to their side. Cid tried to wrench his arm from the gunman's vice-like clench, which did nothing but bruise his own arm and tighten the grip. The ground was coming apart around them.

"You can do nothing for them now," Vincent told him firmly, his eyes practically shining, boring into Cid with a penetrating quality.

The floor beneath them dropped suddenly, sinking into the earth. If not for Vincent's hold Cid would have fallen down.

"Fuck," he gasped.

Vincent spotted their exit via a fallen tree and pulled Cid with him into a run, up onto the trunk and finally back onto higher ground level. With the town falling apart Cid had no choice but to run, and only then did Vincent release his arm, assured the pilot was following. They ran across the devastated town, dodging and ducking until they dove from the last ruined road onto the stable ground of the woodland. Cid flipped onto his back just in time to witness the remaining buildings sinking out of view, into a deep, massive pit of glowing Lifestream. It gurgled as it swallowed everything, leaving nothing left of the town but a sinkhole of desolation.

Cid's mouth was hanging open as he climbed to his feet, his eyes glued to the swirling, mystical force. He could feel its affects, like a taste in his mouth, a tickle on his brain. Everything had gone. People had disappeared into that pool.

Tifa and Cloud were gone.

Rage welled up within Cid like boiling magma. He spun around. "Why the hell did you stop me?!" Cid bellowed.

"You would never have reached them," Vincent explained, his brow pinched in either remorse or irritation – perhaps by Cid's lack of gratitude.

"You don't know that!" Cid threw up his hands. "Tifa and Cloud could be _dead_ because of you!"

"You would have joined them."

"At least I would've tried!"

Avalanche approached, having obviously disobeyed the order to return to the airship. They stared at the gaping hole, horrified.

"Tifa," Barret murmured, stopping before the edge of the drop. The glow from the Lifestream painted his face a pastel green, but his face was far from peaceful. "They're gone…"

Guilt ripped through Cid. "I couldn't get to them," he bit ruefully.

Barret shook his head. "It happened too fast. You'd've never made it." He turned around and fixed the pilot with a painfully empty expression. "You'd've gone in, too."

Cid's fists balled so tightly he felt his nails break the skin. But somewhere in the back of his mind he knew both gunmen were right. He might have reached the clinic but he wouldn't have made it back. He would be drowning in that Lifestream right now, probably dead already. Cloud had survived physically, and maybe he would again, but Tifa would be lost.

"I can't believe they're gone," Yuffie said quietly, staring at the lake of Lifestream, her eyes large and doleful. "…We'd just found Cloud…"

The locals who had survived milled around them, some still recovering from the shock and loss, some muttering in disbelief, others sobbing over their lost homes. Cid's brow furrowed, listening to the dismay, absorbing the catastrophe and wondering if Weapon had caused this. He glanced over at Vincent and the anger ignited weakly, but it died almost as quickly, replaced with a strange grip of gratitude. The man had come back for him, he had sensed the Lifestream rising and had risked his own life to bring back Cid.

Barret had lowered to his knees and looked out across the expanse of green silently. Red sat down next to him, his tail flickering weakly. Cid lowered his eyes and caught sight of a mark on his forearm, a bruise. A handprint. Vincent had been ready to literally drag Cid to safety, his careless grip evidence to his resolve. Cid lifted his gaze again. Vincent's eyes were incredibly bright, still reacting to the magical properties of the Lifestream, but they had dropped to the grass, regretful and self-berating… and something else. Cid had rebuked him for saving his life, but he couldn't gather the strength to go over and apologize.

It was at that second the negativity disappeared from Vincent as he lifted his head and _listened_; something unseen had yet again caught his radar. Cid watched intently as he turned around, looking along the edge of the Lifestream keenly.

"What is it?" Cid asked.

Vincent turned his unnatural eyes on him. "Cloud." Was all he said before taking off at a fast stride into the trees.

Cid quickly called to the others and followed after, batting leaves from his way as he followed the red of Vincent's cape. He found himself walking alongside the edge of the sunken town, until eventually the drop leveled to a softly sloping bank. The Lifestream lapped gently along the ground like calm ocean waves along a beach. Wooden planks and debris littered the area and bobbed gently on the surface.

And there, where Vincent had crouched down, were two motionless bodies. Cloud and Tifa.

Cid covered the rest of the distance with a fast jog and pulled Cloud away from the edge of the Lifestream as Vincent lifted Tifa, setting her down at a safe distance. Their clothes were dry, yet saturated with the taint of the Lifestream. Cid could feel it. It glittered imperceptibly in Cloud's hair, along his eyelashes and across his pale features.

"Tifa?! Cloud!" Barret burst from the trees, the others in tow. "Are they alive?!"

Cid checked Cloud's pulse, finding a strong rhythm. Relief flooded through him. "Cloud's alive."

Vincent stepped away as Barret and Yuffie dropped beside Tifa. Yuffie quickly announced that she, too, was breathing.

"It's a _miracle_," Cait said in wonder, his little cat mouth open in a human display of disbelief. "Unbelievable."

"They may be alive," Barret said, suddenly both grave and elated, sitting back on his heels. "But they might not be them anymore…"

"We need to get them to the ship," Cid announced. "I'll get Thomas to check over –"

He was interrupted by Tifa's groan, and to their further astonishment her eyes fluttered open slowly, blinking for focus. She saw Barret and Yuffie crouched above her.

"Hey," Barret tried hesitantly, unsure what to say and what response he would get. "Tif? You with us?"

Her brow tightened, disorientated. "Barret…? Where am I…?"

A grin split across the gunman's face. "You're alive, that's where!"

"We thought we'd lost you," Yuffie edged closer, a huge smile at her lips, a hand touching Tifa's bare shoulder. "You and Cloud – you're alright! Do you feel funny?"

"A little," the martial artist answered, lifting a hand to her head. "…Cloud. We were in his mind… I found him… the _real_ him…"

Cid exchanged frowns with Barret. "What'd'yer mean?"

Tifa closed her eyes and smiled. "People have so many things… pent up inside of them. They can forget _so_ much… Strange, isn't it?" And with those odd words, she relaxed completely and lost consciousness.

Barret shook her shoulder gently, calling out her name. Red assured him she was still alive, probably just exhausted.

"How come she didn't lose her mind?" Yuffie asked, pausing as though she feared she would jinx the woman. "And what was she talking about?"

Cid was at a loss. A relieved loss for once. "I've got _no_ clue…" He just hoped whatever fortune had protected Tifa had done the same for Cloud.

/

Thomas tended to their comatose friends once onboard the _Highwind_, finding no physical injuries on them at all. After the fall they had taken with the entire town, Cid had expected broken limbs, or at the very least open wounds. But either the Lifestream had healed them, or they had been extremely lucky. The ship remained grounded until they had decided what to do. The medic had warned them that Cloud could remain unconscious for an indefinite amount of time, but it was likely Tifa was running through a simple REM sleep cycle, and could awaken in several hours. Cid wanted to wait for her.

Only an hour after returning to the ship Cait announced quite suddenly that Shinra had deployed an investigatory squad to Mideel, which was to be expected. Cid had the _Highwind_ moved from the area, halting her half an hour away in the safety of the immense forest. She perched on the edge of a water filled gorge, hidden amongst the canopy of leaves. With nothing to do, some of the crew had taken to exploring outside. Exotic birds chirped and sang, flying about, some curious of the airship, others skittish.

Barret found Cid watching them from the glass dome on the bridge, leaning on the rail as they both followed the rapid, jittery flight path of a rather colorful bird.

"I don't know why, but we were dealt a lucky card back there," Barret began with a heavy weight to his words despite his topic. His prosthetic arm clanging softly on the metal pole. "It seems too good to be true… I can't help thinking something's fucking with us."

Cid couldn't agree more. Cloud and Tifa had almost certainly been lost to them, even if their bodies were living. How had Tifa, an ordinary human being by medical standards, sustained her sanity, her mind, when Cloud had not? It was perplexing, but how could Cid question it? How could he be suspicious of a miracle?

"I wonder if whatever saved them would'a saved you, too, if you'd fallen in." Barret continued, musing aloud. "What if you hadn't turned back and we lost you, as well?"

Cid frowned. "I didn't turn back. Vincent practically _dragged_ me back. He wasn't gonna let me go any further."

Barret tilted his head, his eyebrows furrowing curiously. "Really?" He paused for a long moment, turning to watch the water in the gorge. "He saved your ass." He paused yet again. "Is that why you were _yelling_ at him?"

"Hey, I could have gotten Tifa and Cloud outta there," Cid defended himself, even as the words fell out of his mouth he could hear the futility. "I had to _try_, Damnit."

"You stubborn ass," Barret shook his head. "_Yeah_, I would'a done the same, but Vincent was right to drag your hide out. You think we'd've been happy with you sacrificing yourself stupidly? Last thing we need is to lose another friend."

Cid bit his tongue, fighting the instinctual urge to argue. Barret's reprimanding was justified, he was completely right. Avalanche was facing a dangerous path, they couldn't afford to falter, to fall or sacrifice unless it was imperative to the mission. What Cid had fooled himself into thinking was a choice leader decision, was in fact a twisted sense of altruism. Deep down he knew the chances of saving Cloud and Tifa were slim, but his heroics had overridden his self-preservations.

"…hell, he wouldn't have done that for anyone else," Barret was saying, disgruntled, drawing Cid from his thoughts. "We might've got a warning, but he wouldn't have dragged _our_ asses back to safety. That's special treatment, alright."

Cid didn't need to ask to confirm Barret's insinuation. Why had Vincent forced him back? It wasn't in his character to do so.

"I thought he didn't care about anyone," Barret continued on, his focus on the forest outside. "Would barely let Aerith touch him. Guess I can understand it, after what he's been through. Still…" he straightened up from the rail and turned his thoughtful brown eyes on Cid. "He ain't as reserved around _you_, is he?"

Cid stared. No, Vincent wasn't. And while that secret little man crush spawned a ridiculous furnace throughout him, Cid had to persuade it that the only reason why was because he had encouraged a friendship between them, nothing more – despite some deep-seated sentiment trying to say otherwise.

A sudden craving hit him in the silence, niggling persistently until Cid could ignore it no longer. He foraged in his pocket for his packet of cigarettes as he turned from the glass, telling Barret he was heading outside. He strode through his ship to the outer deck, half a mind on his need for nicotine and the other half focused uncomfortably on that damn red-eyed ex-Turk. Cid shook his head to himself as he pinned a cigarette between his lips and groped for his lighter. What if he _had_ fallen into the Lifestream and lost his mind? It sounded worse than death. He despised the thought of people taking care of him, feeding and washing him. The very thought made his skin crawl. What an end to the adventure he so readily accepted.

Sliding over the balustrade, Cid dropped to the grassy ground below. Everything was vivid green and picturesque. One of his crewmen waved to him from across the _Highwind_'s clearing, lit up in the bright sun. Cid nodded back and wandered away towards the line of trees by the edge of the gorge, compelled in that direction. He took a draft on his cigarette and watched the smoke twist into the air, mesmerized by the similarities between it and the eerie, ragged ends of Vincent's cape. Such a strange article of clothing, it was wrapped in as much mystery as the wearer himself. Cid had accepted the metamorphosis capabilities of his comrade, but now came the puzzle of his clothing. How could material mend itself? How had the gunman's leather suit sewn itself back together after it had been riddled with bullet holes? Cid assumed whatever powers Vincent contained could extend themselves to his outfit, it would explain how he could transform around his clothes, instead of out of them.

Venturing into dangerous territory, Cid quickly pushed the mental images of unclothed Vincent from his mind, but they pushed back in more stubbornly. It wasn't the sensual issue that captivated him so much (although, he couldn't deny it was part of it); it was the concept of unmasking Vincent that enthralled him. He was a man shrouded in mysteries and darkness, an outward frontage that concealed so much more. Cid wanted to take down that guise and find the naked soul; he wanted to discover the real man.

He entertained fantasies of Vincent smiling as he meandered through the trees, enjoying the rush of desire that pumped through his veins. Maybe one day, when the planet was safe, Cid would have the opportunity to draw a full smile from the darkness Vincent had hidden it. Maybe he could even hear the man laugh before Cid died of old age (or in the air, as he always predicted). That should earn him a medal of recognition. Forget notability for saving the planet, it would be for the laugh.

The flicker of something bright and irreconcilable snatched Cid's focus from his pool of thoughts, and he found his eyes pinned to the flame of Red's tail. By his side, gazing down at the gorge, was Vincent. He glanced at Cid before turning away again.

"You've wandered a ways from the ship," Red commented lightly, cocking his head.

"Same to you," Cid gestured to them both with his cigarette hand, walking to them with a lazy gait.

"It's quieter out here," he hound explained simply, turning to admire the water flowing below them. "No metal ship, no unnatural noise. Just nature."

Cid considered the bubble he had broken between them, feeling suddenly like an unwelcomed guest. Before he could excuse himself though, Red stood up on all fours and announced he was thirsty. He padded off towards the airship, disappearing through the trees, leaving the two humans to themselves. Cid couldn't help but speculate on his timely exit.

Forgoing any needless pleasantries, he stomped out his cigarette, stepped right up next to Vincent, into his personal space, and placed a hand on his cloaked shoulder. Vincent looked at it before raising his eyes to Cid's. His anticipating expression sent one of those happy nudges through his gut.

"Sorry I yelled at yer for savin' my life," he said, earnestly, deeply engrossed in those eyes. _Nice and fast, Cid, like ripping off a band aid._ However, the ludicrous combination of his words tickled his funny bone and before he could stop it a grin had slipped past his control, and no amount of fighting could wrest it back. "That sounded like the worst apology ever."

The mask Vincent wore so well melted, seemingly against his will, and the humor touched his eyes just as easily. He gave the blond a considerate look. "Apology accepted."

Stupid joy washed over him. "And, thanks," Cid added, lowering his arm and looked out across the gorge. "Yer didn't have to risk yer life to save mine. I'd probably be drownin' in Lifestream if it wasn't for you."

Vincent continued to watch him, his gaze almost so tangible that Cid could feel it ghosting across his face. Finally, he said, "I doubt even the Lifestream could contain your stubbornness. It would have cast you out eventually."

Cid directed a wry smirk at him and crossed his arms. "Well, I guess now I feel a _little_ _bit_ assured," he said with a side of hearty sarcasm. He allowed the humor to linger before adopting a more serious manner. "Really, though. I owe yer. Big time."

"You owe me nothing," Vincent responded, his tone curiously devoid of any emotions. "You've proven a valuable and necessary member of this team. We wouldn't be where we are now if not for you."

That was indeed flattering. Did Vincent realize he was inflating Cid's ego? Cid couldn't recall ever hearing him compliment the others. The special treatment was shoveling fuel into that second little voice, which was currently singing over the negative one. _Go for it_, it encouraged. _You could be dead tomorrow. Cid Highwind never let opportunities slip by, why start now?_ He wanted to argue. He was suffering a man-crush, Damnit, that didn't entitle him to anything other than looking from afar. He could fuck up a budding friendship and possibly fuck up the gunman entirely. _Not like he has a definite future, how do you know he won't end it all with Hojo? You'd lose your chance. At least give him a reason to stick around longer._ Cid wished the voice would shut up, because he was starting to listen to it. But wait – Vincent had been in love with a woman, whose son was currently threatening the very planet. It was highly unlikely he would turn to someone during this time, especially a man. _Open your eyes, you dumb shit, he's obviously sweet on you._ Cid retorted with, _how the fuck do you figure that? If being friendly with someone means you're hitting on them then I've got a lot to fucking reconsider. Shut the fuck up, you're pissing me off._ The little voice said nothing more.

"Are you alright?" Vincent's deep voice snapped him from his inner squabble, eyeing him.

Cid mentally flung away his own conversation. He had been scowling at the scenery. "Yeah, yeah, just thinkin'." He panned his eyes around them, wondering why it was so quiet. The larger, more vocal birds seemed to be keeping their distance, but the little ones hopped from branch to branch. Quietly. "Why do yer think Weapon came to Mideel?" He asked suddenly.

Vincent said nothing for a moment. "I don't know."

Cid eyed him from the side. "Can yer communicate with them?" He asked carefully.

The gunman's face turned to him fully, a guarded edge in his look. "Why would you ask that?"

Cid did the same, detecting something shameful in the man's eyes. "Yer can, can't yer?"

Vincent was disconcertingly silent for a long time before he answered. "I can't communicate with them, but I can… _sense_ their emotions." He looked troubled. "I don't know how."

Cid felt a tug on his heart strings. He chanced another question. "What was that Weapon feelin'?"

The gunman paused, his eyes awash with the recollection and a disturbed impression within the tightening of his brow. "Rage."

The pilot observed his face. He reached out for Vincent's arm, attaining his full focus. "Hey. If it ever gets too much, all this sensory overload, yer come to me, okay? Don't stew in it, don't let it build up… I don't think I can even imagine it, but I know yer've had a fuck-ton of shit to deal with."

Vincent fixed him with a mixed expression, and Cid thought he had just earned himself a cold shoulder. But the man didn't turn away. "I can handle it," he stated indignantly. However, there was a touch of gratitude in those eyes, shining through his defenses.

Cid tightened his grip. "Just, at least, promise me if it gets to yer, yer won't sit and suffer in silence. C'mon, humor me."

The gunman's eyebrows contracted a little more, as though he found the concern Cid was showing to be deceitful. No, more like he was trying to _convince_ himself of it. But he couldn't deny the evidence of Cid's sincerity, if he did he would be disgracing the pilot, and it was clear he would no sooner do that than hug Hojo.

"You're a curious man, Cid Highwind."

"That's the kindest way anyone's ever put it," Cid bantered with a smirk. He gave his hand a minute shake, reapplying his request.

Vincent relented, but not without a clear display of inconvenience. "Very well. I promise."

Cid was surprised. _That's it? That easy?_ He was expecting a bit of resistance, refusal to grace the pilot with his word, the likes of which could admit potential weakness on Vincent's part. But Cid had secured it just like that. _Because he likes you,_ that coaxing voice spoke up.

Cid's crew communicator beeped abruptly from his belt, scaring the little birds from their trees. He reached for it, miffed that it had disturbed them.

"Captain, Tifa's awake," Thomas' voice came through.

"Roger that," Cid answered, eyeing his tall friend as he tucked it back onto his belt. "Can I ask yer somethin' else?" He said. Vincent nodded once. "Is anythin' different about Tifa? Can yer sense anythin' special about her?"

Vincent shook his head. "No. She is a normal human."

Cid's brow twitched, thoughtfully. "I guess she was just really, _really_ fuckin' lucky."

"Perhaps," Vincent said contemplatively, as they began to walk back to the airship. "Or perhaps someone was watching over her…"

Frowning, the pilot turned his inquisitive eyes on him. Who had the power to keep someone's mind safe inside the Lifestream? The only beings on the planet that Cid knew of with any kind of extraordinary abilities were Vincent and Sephiroth. Who else would Vincent had met in his brief time awake that Cid had not? The only people he had contact with were Avalanche… _Oh._

"Aerith?"

Vincent directed an affirming look his way, pushing a low hanging branch back.

Cid cast his eyes forward, allowing this revelation to settle. Aerith was dead, her soul – like everyone else's – had merged back into the Lifestream. Could Cetra be that unique that even when deceased they could influence the living?

When they arrived at sickbay Barret, Yuffie, Red and Cait were already gathered around Tifa, who was sat on her cot. She smiled warmly at both men as they approached.

"Hey, Tifa," Cid greeted, releasing a lopsided grin. "You all in there?"

She nodded, eyes brighter than her usual dark chocolate, more vivid. "I'm me. Though, I still can't believe it," she said, looking at her hands. "I thought I was done for when we fell into the Lifestream…"

"Did something happen to you in there?" Barret pressed, sat on the edge of the cot before her. "You should be like Cloud, or worse, dead."

The smile on her face relaxed a little as she recalled her experience. "I was in Cloud's mind… Somehow, I was inside his thoughts, his memories." She looked over her shoulder at the cot next to hers, where Cloud lay sleeping peacefully. "When he wakes, he'll explain everything…"

Cid looked at Barret and back at Tifa. "He'll be him again?"

Tifa smiled again. "Yeah."

Relief blossomed behind Cid's ribcage. She sounded so sure, and he believed her. Hell, after what he'd witnessed throughout this insane mission, he'd be crazy not to.

They spoke briefly about their next course of action, and as Cid was still the appointed leader, he was tasked with the final decision. After consulting with Cait on the status of Shinra, he felt confident in finally ordering the _Highwind_ on a flight path to Junon. Activity there was dying down, and Cait was concerned Heidegger was losing patience. He wouldn't leave that Huge Materia for much longer.

Minutes later they were airborne, flying towards the east continent. Cid dismissed himself from the infirmary to makes rounds on his crew, wanting an up-to-date report from each station. It kept him occupied for the better part of an hour, thanks to the willingness to natter from some of his older crewmembers. They were interested in the full story, eager to hear all details of Cid's adventures with his new friends, asking after Shera and Rocket Town.

On his last point of call he found Omar in his galley, and surprisingly, Vincent, too. Although, he was clearly just leaving. He acknowledged the pilot and navigated past him in the doorway. The smell of leather drifted in his wake.

"How're food supplies?" Cid enquired, reaching for the little mini data pad that was always hung on the galley wall. He sifted through the items, noticing a lot were not in stock. "Need to make a food haul," he murmured aloud. "What the hell is couscous and do we need that?"

Omar rolled his eyes. "It's a wheat grain. Kejon asked for it, and since it was on Shinra's budget we got it in."

"Well, tell him it's rice from now on," Cid said, still flicking through the pad. "Well, it will be when we get some." He paused, remembering a distinct flavor that he had experienced a few weeks back. "Yer ever heard of pancakes?"

Omar turned his eyes up thoughtfully. "Yeah, yeah they used to be popular in my little village. Ain't really seen them around, though. Guess they never caught on."

Cid looked at him. "Can yer make some now? Two lots."

Omar seemed amused. "You got a craving, Captain?" Then his faced opened up. "Oh, for your red-eyed friend, there? He didn't seem to know what he wanted. I think I put him off when I walked in."

Cid hung the data pad back on the wall. Vincent must be hungry to have actively sought out food. "Make 'em big," he said to the cook.

And he did. Several minutes later Cid knocked on Vincent's cabin, a stack of two plates full balanced on one palm.

"Check it out," Cid said when the door was opened, indicating the pancakes. "Remember these?"

Vincent's eyes fell to the plates, and a light of recognition touched his features. "I assume you're not just showing me your immense appetite?"

Cid grinned, stepping inside Vincent's cabin when he moved aside. The door closed and Cid sat himself comfortably on the bed, pairing up the double set of cutlery he had brought. Vincent watched his actions as he lowered himself onto the mattress, too.

"We ain't got syrup though, so I poured honey on instead. What was left of it, anyway," Cid added. The ship's food stores were pitifully low.

Vincent's eyes flickered to his. "A slice of bread would have sufficed."

Cid waved his hand, dismissing the gunman's statement. "I told yer once, it's not just about needs. Yer gotta enjoy it." He tossed Vincent's knife and fork across to him and they clinked on the sheets before picking up his own and digging in.

Leaving the cutlery for a moment, Vincent reached for his collar and unbuckled his cape, sweeping it off in one graceful movement. He took the fork in right hand, plate in left, and sectioned into the fluffy pancakes. Every action was beset with sophistication and fluidity.

Cid drew his attention back just enough to savor the flavor of his own meal. The sweet strike of honey greeted his taste buds with welcomed potency. "Even better than Gongaga," he commented, swallowing. He watched discreetly as Vincent took his first bite, gaining a knot of pleasure as the fork was drawn meticulously from between his lips.

"We should hit Junon by late afternoon," Cid began, cutting roughly into his food, deciding he should pay that more attention. "I guess it'll be early afternoon there, though." He raised a forkful to his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. "If we can't refuel the _Highwind_ we'll be at a pretty damn disadvantage against Shinra. Without her, we'll be forced to find some other, cumbersome form of transportation – and just the thought makes me fuckin' shudder." He seared off more fluffy goodness before he felt the pleasant weight of Vincent's eyes on him. When he looked up, though, Vincent was watching his knife slice through his food. Cid continued. "I suppose if we can't, we could risk stealin' the Turk chopper," he smirked at the idea. "Can yer imagine Rufus' face? You take my plane I take _your_ shitty hunk of junk," Cid played aloud, visualizing the President's furious expression upon realizing his helicopter was gone. He looked up again and felt senselessly giddy with the expression he was bestowed with. Vincent was clearly amused by his words. _Damn, is he gorgeous. And damn, am I screwed._

Once their plates were empty Cid's topic had turned to the projects he would like to begin if they survived. He flopped himself back onto the bed, hands shoved under his head, and spoke of the innovative ideas he had. Vincent listened, relaxed back onto one hand, one leg folded on the bed as he listened attentively. Cid couldn't remember when he had enjoyed someone else's company in the way he did Vincent's. The man crush had literally gorged itself on their cordiality, growing into something Cid was beginning to get wary of.

He stopped talking to reevaluate his actions, wondering why he was deliberately seeking Vincent's attention when he knew he shouldn't. Both his inner voices had been curiously quiet during dinner. Speaking of quiet, the silence that had fallen between Cid and Vincent suddenly sounded very loud. Very noticeable. He looked across at Vincent to find those red eyes studying him. Cid's gut tightened.

The gunman's gaze turned away in the next second and he rose to his feet. "I think I will take a rest before we reach Junon," he said, not unkindly, but deliberate nonetheless.

Cid could take a hint. "Okay, I'll leave yer to it." He sat up, gathered the plates and utensils and stood. Vincent met his gaze as he approached the door. "Thanks for listenin' to me ramble again," Cid said, offering a quick, lop-sided smile. Vincent's eyes darted to his lips and back. _Do it_,the little voice whispered.

The door slid open, breaking the air between them. Vincent's hand hovered over the release. "I enjoyed the pancakes. Pass my compliments on to the chef."

Before he knew it Cid was on the other side of the door watching it close. He glimpsed the flash of crimson before it sealed. With his heart thumping in his chest and a more than pleasant buzz pulsing through his veins, he wondered whether Vincent's abrupt eviction was in reaction to something. If he could sense people, and he could sense Weapon's emotions, could he detect _human_ emotions? Had he felt Cid's attraction to him? Had it repulsed him? But Cid had been almost physically aroused last night while showing him the locking code and he hadn't reacted to that, so maybe he couldn't. _Or maybe he can and it was his own feelings that pushed you out,_ the little voice tried.

As he was about to dwell further on it his communicator beeped, shattering the quiet. He grabbed it with his free hand.

"Captain, your friend Cloud has woken up," came Thomas' stunned voice.

"Cloud?" Cid repeated, pleasantly surprised. "He alright? What condition's he in?"

"He seems completely fine, Captain," the medic reported happily.

"On my way," Cid declared, tucking the communicator back. He glanced at Vincent's door. No doubt the man had heard, his exceptional hearing wouldn't miss that exchange right outside his door.

He didn't get to answer Omar's question regarding the pancakes as Cid dropped the pots off in the galley and rushed out again. He punched the release for the infirmary door a minute later and stepped inside.

Avalanche had centered around one cot, sat and perched on the edges of the surrounding ones. In the middle of them Cloud looked up, his intensely blue eyes finding Cid's. He blinked, waiting patiently for the pilot to approach.

Cid moved towards them, eyes on the other blond. "I'm gonna go ahead and say that yer _you_ in there," he said, halting before Cloud's cot.

"It's me," Cloud replied, his voice smooth and passive, yet an amicable twitch caught the edge of his lips.

Cid held out his hand and shook Cloud's in relieved cheer, chuckling and reassured. "Damn, it's good to see yer back to normal, kid." It was more than just good, but Cid wasn't one for expressing deep emotion. Had he been, he might and wrapped the man in a bone crushing hug and threatened to kill him if he ever made them worry like that again. "Thought you were lost to us."

Cloud lowered his hand. "I was, and in a way the other me still is." At the collection of frowns, he added, "but I found who I _really_ am."

The infirmary door slid open and all eyes looked across. Vincent stepped into the infirmary, cape back over his shoulders, obscuring his face. His eyes crossed over Cid's before finding Cloud's.

"Good to see you again, Cloud," he greeted.

Cloud tipped his head. "Vincent."

Cid still found it uncanny how alike they were, behavior wise. He kept his laugh at bay and sat down on the cot next to Yuffie as Vincent slowly made his way closer.

Cloud turned to them all, a pensive but focused gleam in his eyes. "I discovered a lot during our time in the Lifestream," he began, watching his memories pan out in his mind's eye. "I remembered everything. I left Nibelheim to because a Soldier, but I didn't make it. Everything I thought I did… it wasn't mine." He paused, lingering on his thoughts. "There was a Soldier, my friend, named Zack Fair. His memories got mixed into mine, so all the things I thought I'd done were actually the things he'd done…" He shook his head softly. "I was so messed up."

Red shifted from where he sat on the floor. "How did that happen?" He pressed, confused.

Cloud looked at him briefly. "Hojo's experiments," he about whispered. "Zack's death… He told me stories, and somehow they became _me._ Since Hojo had tried to turn me into a Sephiroth clone, I had the physical aspects of a Soldier, which only cemented the illusion. And the Jenova cells Hojo shot into me enabled Sephiroth to manipulate me…"

Everyone was silent as they absorbed his monologue. Cid broke it with: "That's fucked up."

Cloud nodded at him. "I didn't know my own identity, it left my mind weak to Sephiroth's control." He pursed his lips in regretful recollection. "I let him take the Black Materia from me. It's my fault Meteor is falling."

"You don't get to take all the blame, spiky," Barret told him firmly but not unkindly. "Sephiroth is the one that summoned the damn thing."

"And we'll be the ones to hurl it back," Cid said indomitably, folding his arms.

Cloud looked around them all. "I suppose I've missed a few things, I'll need catching up."

Cid stood up. "Grab a drink, kid. We've got a couple of tales to tell…"

/


	32. Underwater Reactions

**Journey**

/

The _Highwind_ tethered up outside of Junon's detection range several hours later, hidden amongst the wild terrain of trees and rising earths. The weather seemed to be with them for it was heavy with cloud and rain, further aiding their concealment.

Cid stared out the bridge dome, watching slow droplets splatter against the glass and comparing the current elements to the raging storm that had occurred during Red and Vincent's rescue. Avalanche wouldn't witness much of the elements if it decided to go all out again, but the _Highwind_ would. Lightning was a pilot's arch enemy whilst in the air, and Cid wouldn't be with her should anything happen. Aircraft shouldn't fly during a storm, but they had little choice. She needed fuel, and Junon had it.

"Ready, Cid?" Cait's voice floated into his head.

He turned from the dome to find Cait atop his mog, waiting patiently. Behind, his crew filed in, taking up positions at their stations. Cid was leaving his baby's fate to them once again. While Avalanche would be causing a stir down in the underwater reactor, his crew would be sneaking the airship in to refuel. They would be using a modulating scrambler, untested and unproven in order to evade Shinra's radar. Cid was apprehensive to say the least.

"Let's get this show on the road," Cid muttered, following the robot to the exit amidst salutes from his crewmembers. He followed Cait to where the team awaited on the outer deck. He had surrendered his leader position back to Cloud, preferring the backseat view. He knew it was placing a lot of pressure back on the young guy, but he knew it was crucial that their situation return to normal for the cohesion of the team. And besides, he could see the unvoiced, hopeful gleam in Tifa's eyes. She wanted Cloud back in the driving seat, and Cid was fine with that. Even better, so was Cloud.

The bright eyed ex-Soldier swept his eyes up at the ship's hull above them, catching sight of a few bullet grazes marring the surface. He had been given the tour by Cid himself and introduced to the crew after they had filled him in on the events he had missed. He had been surprised by the amount of time that had elapsed between the northern cave and the Mideel incident, stating it had seemed like nothing more than a short sleep. That's probably just how Vincent had felt after sleeping through nearly thirty years.

Cid mentally groaned. _Stop relating everything to him, it's not healthy!_ He drew himself from his mind as his team began descending the outer deck to the ground below. Before he followed, he ran a hand lovingly along the balustrade, wishing her a safe escapade.

/

Their trek to Junon took them the better part of an hour. It was strange how quickly their original group foundation reasserted itself, it was almost like Cloud had never left. The dark clouds overshadowed their every step, dropping heavy, fat water droplets steadily. They were attacked twice by wild monsters, the first of which Cloud took down himself, loosening up his stiff muscles. The second was riddled with bullets before it had even pounced, by both Barret and Vincent. Cid was starting to find even Vincent's trivial actions captivating; his deft thumb pulling off the safety, the steady hand and the confident sight down the barrel. Cid had it bad.

When they made it to Lower Junon the clouds had amalgamated into one blanket of angry grey, and the air was dark and dull. Few people milled about, all locals. Cloud led the team straight through the small, bleak little village until they came upon the wall of Junon's fortress. Striding right towards the guard positioned at the huge elevator door, he took the man down with a single punch. Nice and efficient. Cid approved.

"You'd have thought they would have stepped up security since last time," Barret said as he worked the controls and the heavy metal door slid open.

"Last time?" Cid questioned.

"We've been here before," he explained simply. "Cloud had to pretend he was a Shinra troop."

Cid cocked an eyebrow as they filed into the huge industrial elevator, but Barret didn't elaborate any more. He craned his neck back to observe the full cement shaft, although with little light the shadows obscured most of it. The door clamped shut slowly with a mechanical drone and a revolving amber light flashed across them as the platform began to climb. The metal grating beneath their feet groaned, and as they rose the light illuminated huge pipelines and ducts lining the wall.

"This route takes us directly into a Shinra military base," Cloud stated, his blue eyes glowing softly in the dark as he laid out the details to those on his team who hadn't been this way. "Troops were pretty sparse last time, but that could have changed."

Cid listened. Their plan was to draw attention anyway, so that the _Highwind_ would have a good chance to get in and out. He was ready for a good fight, having accumulated a lot of pent up energy somehow. Even with all their running around and the Weapon fight, he still found his body aching for action.

With this crucial part of the plan, they had agreed on some form of crowd control should they become overwhelmed – which was why Cid had packed Yuffie's (now dry) satchel with dynamite again. They had a better collection of materia, too, most of which the young ninja had. All in all they were fairly confident they wouldn't be getting captured today.

Cid glanced across the group at Vincent, sneaking a look. After Cloud's elucidation, the gunman had disappeared back to his cabin without meeting Cid's eyes, and during their trek to Junon he hadn't once looked his way. Usually that wouldn't bother Cid, and he wouldn't call it a behavioral change either, but he couldn't shake the feeling that it was deliberate, that Vincent was avoiding his gaze. It struck a disappointed cord in his chest.

The elevator slowed and stopped, and the team stepped off before another heavy, smaller, metal door. They paused, before Cloud hit the open button and they strode into the military base with all the attitude of the rebels they were.

"Avalanche!" A man to their left corridor yelled.

He went down quickly, but his shout drew the attention of another two troops in the corridor before them. They rushed the team, and a second later hit the floor. Only silence followed. No alarms.

"This way," Cloud ordered, opening a door to their left.

They followed him out into a large, empty storage hangar, and continued on towards the dreary light of outside, encountering a group of shocked troops who froze at the sight of the team. Cid crackled his knuckles, warming them up, and dived into the fight alongside Barret. He struck his first target on the jaw, feeling the familiar, not unpleasant pain reverberate along his wrist. The troop stumbled back into Red's awaiting jaws and fell to the floor a few seconds later. Cid turned around in time to watch Vincent effortlessly dodge a flying fist, grab the guy's arm and, using his clumsy momentum, yank him into the wall with the speed only an ex-Turk could execute. It knocked him out cold, and he hit the floor. Vincent's gaze peered from behind his bangs and Cid found himself rooted to the spot, awed by the killing machine that he was. Vincent turned away.

Several minutes later they left the military base and broke out onto the monotonous, empty streets of Junon. It was no surprise, Shinra had likely ordered civilians to stay indoors so Avalanche would be easier to spot, although considering this, there weren't many patrols about.

"Is it me, or is something missing?" Yuffie said pointedly, her eyes deliberately gesturing to the front line of the city before them.

Cid couldn't spot what she meant until Barret noticed.

"The cannon's gone," he realized, frowning at the huge horizontal support it used to rest upon. He turned on Cait. "Why've they moved it?"

_How've they moved it?_ Cid wanted to know.

Cait's little mouth hung open. "I don't know," he admitted, surprised. "I haven't heard any mention of its transport."

"That's a little worrying," Tifa said warily, eyeing the empty support.

"We'll dwell on it later," Cid told them, moving forward again. "Let's get this operation over and done with."

They resumed their way, but barely ten steps forward the sound of pounding footsteps drew into earshot, and from one of the dark side streets a small platoon of Shinra grunts emerged. They leveled their guns menacingly. Only six minutes later they were all on the ground.

The lonely street led them back indoors to an unground stretch of asphalt where a commanding officer was leading another squad of blue uniforms. It seemed Avalanche weren't going to be too disappointed by the lack of resistance after all.

The commander turned to the sounds of their feet and his eyes widened in recognition, before narrowing in fierce aversion. With a bellow of "Troops, attack!" everything spurred into motion. Bullets flew back and forth as Shinra and Avalanche merged into one chaotic mass of bodies. Cid spun his spear and swept three opponents out, side-stepped from an oncoming attack to his west. He swung his weapon and clobbered the troop, sensing a teammate approach his rear. He threw a glance over his shoulder to find him back to back with Tifa, her fists clenched and her hair swaying. They exchanged nods and dived back into the fray.

It didn't take Avalanche long to annihilate the poor bastards. Leaving a collection of bodies in their wake, they continued along the tunnel until they came to another large, heavy-duty door with a keypad barring their way. Fortunately, the smaller hatch to the side didn't require access codes, merely a push of a button. It was a personnel elevator, only just big enough for all eight of them to squeeze in. And squeeze in they did.

"This better be the way to the reactor," Barret mumbled, casting an eye at Cait, their current tour guide, as someone hit the panel button and the lift descended.

"I'm following a map," Cait shrugged. Cid could only assume his _controller_ was following the map.

The ride down was thankfully short. Cid was pressed against the left wall with Barret's tall ass in front of him and Vincent's tantalizingly musky frame against his right. The pilot folded his arms and pretended he didn't give a damn. At least he was lucky enough not to get a face full of Red's tail.

The doors opened on the lower level and they all exited the cramped space. Several pairs of eyes turned to observe who had appeared, and after many double takes the troops gathered their wits and charged. Avalanche dispatched them quickly, still expecting alarms to start wailing with every enemy they took out. Cid checked his watch; it was still too soon for the _Highwind_ to move in, so they had more time to make a scene.

The tunnel continued on to a door-less hatch. They passed through into yet another long passageway, down several short steps and along a few more similar stretches without any more conflicts. It was strangely quiet. Almost ten minutes later the tunnels ended and Avalanche emerged into a smaller, metal-grated corridor, which led them to another large elevator, identical to the one in Lower Junon. It took them further down, and when they stepped out into the next area, they couldn't help but stare.

"Oh, wow," Tifa breathed.

They had entered the underwater glass tunnel on the seabed. The ocean surrounded them, an open vastness of beauty and power. Fish glided easily above the glass, placid in their natural environment. Avalanche awed as they walked along the illuminated tunnel, occasionally pointing out something of fascination. It wasn't everyday people other than selected Shinra personnel were given such a rare treat.

Cid's eyes followed a school of bright azure fish as they passed overhead and into the deep darkness. As amazing as it was, the sea held so many dangers within its deep recesses, and he couldn't help but wonder how many of those were still undiscovered. His eyes wandered down and rested on Vincent walking beside him. The blue hue of the ocean cast an ethereal tint upon his pale features, and Cid was captivated by more than just the color.

"Beautiful," Tifa gushed, a few steps ahead.

"Damn right," Cid found himself murmuring.

Vincent's head turned, sensing Cid's gaze. It was clear by the change in his eyes that he had just understood Cid's insinuation.

"Hey, look! It's Mr. Dolphin," Yuffie announced from in front, her voice cutting into the air.

Vincent's eye blinked and he tore his gaze away, using Yuffie's interruption as a distraction, his cool composure tipped off balance. Cid watched long enough to see it quickly rebuilt, and finally looked away, feeling a gripping tightness in his chest. He diverted his focus to the dolphin zigzagging through the water around them, happy and carefree. It swam down to the side of the tunnel and followed them as they walked. Yuffie played with it through the glass, running back and forth along the side as it followed.

The tunnel ended before Cid could chance another look at Vincent. The distorted shadow of the reactor loomed ahead of them, like a patient, underwater predator awaiting its prey, using the lights by the door as a lure to draw them in. Inside was a chamber, with three tubes of deep blue water on one wall for aesthetic purposes. On the opposite side of the door was a panel with a large red button. Cloud pressed it. The door closed and the chamber vibrated. Cid's stomach informed him they were moving down; it was an elevator.

At the bottom they entered onto a long, narrow walkway that overlooked a huge submarine docking station. Cid felt suspicious and wary, they had met barely half the resistance he was expecting, and their current pathway was clear. Nevertheless, the team continued on, gazing at the large submarines docked at their bays. A few Shinra troops milled about down there, but none of them looked up, none of them noticed the intruders. Above Avalanche, a mechanical pulley arm whirled into motion, slowing running along its line to its unknown destination.

Beyond the docking station was yet another corridor, and finally, after that, they came upon a room. A room full of Shinra troops. So _that's_ where they were hiding.

The fighting that commenced was long and drawn out. Eight team members against thirty-odd opponents in a confined area would do that. Cid found the extension of his weapon more of a hindrance than an advantage, and was forced to use his fists many times. The crack of both Barret and Vincent's bullets was few and far between, but Barret couldn't really holster his, and so made good use of the heavy barrel to whack troops across the face. They rarely got up again. Vincent, Cid noticed, was finding plenty of opportunities to wield his gauntlet. He swiped his talons across the chest of his current adversary, gouging deep wounds with seemingly no effort. Like a knife through butter. Cid had never fully appreciated the danger of that weapon, nor had he properly seen it in action. It was both magnificent and unsettling.

A body flew past him and knocked down a trio of troops, the result of Tifa's impressive skills. Cid ducked under the rapid incoming butt of an automatic, rose and delivered a left hook to the soldier's exposed ribcage. He groaned, wind forced from his body, before Cid dealt a final blow, courtesy of his elbow. He felt an incorporeal weight on his back and spun around, thinking his instincts were warning him of another attack, but instead he caught the flash of crimson eyes as they darted away, finding another target to take down.

The last of their enemies hit the floor with Red's snappy finish, and they took a moment to catch their breaths before they started forward again into the conjoining room. Through this one was another, shorter walkway, and finally, there was the reactor core.

Cid spotted something just as Yuffie verbally pointed it out. The mechanical arm they had seen before rose from inside the top of the reactor core, pulling from it the Huge Materia.

"Shit," Barret cursed as it lifted far from their reaches and back along its circuit route. "Where the hell's it being taken?"

"Follow it!" Cloud took off running along the rest of the walkway, his team in tow.

The walkway took them through an exit hatch and they burst out into the cavernous submarine station. The Shinra guards and troops on the docking platforms stopped their tasks to stare. Directly ahead of them in their pathway was a fiery red-head who, when he turned around, looked very familiar to Cid. It came to him a split second later.

"Chopper pilot," he hissed.

The Turk fixed an airy expression on him. "Cid Highwind. See, I know _your_ name, can't you do the same courtesy?"

"You tried to take down my airship!" Cid thundered, starting forward. Barret caught his arm.

The Turk appeared unbothered, hands hung loosely in his pants pockets. "Yeah, tried. Until your pet monster took down _mine_. What'd ya do, train a wild beast to throw discus?"

Cid clamped his mouth shut. Reno – wasn't it? – didn't once look at Vincent. He didn't know it had been him.

"Anyway, I ain't got time for you," Reno waved a dismissive hand at them all, half turning away. He looked back at them with an impish glint in his eyes. "My priority is the Huge Materia."

At that second the hum of the mechanical arm drew their attention as it lowered the object of importance into the submarine behind him. As they made to rush forward, through the Turk if possible, a seemingly motionless metal apparatus came alive before them, extending jointed limbs, unfolding to double its previous height. Clamp claws flexed menacingly as it advanced on the team. Behind, the Turk flashed them a smirk and took off.

"He's stalling us," Cloud warned, drawing his sword as he watched Reno climb into the huge sub. Eager and urgent to stop him, the ex-Soldier ran and leapt, heaving his weapon down on what should have been a finishing blow. But the automaton swiveled mechanically from harm, using its rotation momentum to slam a hard metal limb into Cloud.

The rest of the team raced to his aid. Barret's strength caught the slim man as he flew back, and Tifa gave a mighty cry as she dove into the fray alongside Red. Cid ducked under the robot's swinging appendages and jammed his spear into a vulnerable circuit joint. Sparks spluttered and Cid jumped back as the flailing arms returned to target him. A shower of bullets pelted its metal casings as the gunmen of the group opened fire, and overhead Yuffie's large shuriken boomeranged through a gangly limb, rendering it useless. It may have been tough metal, but Avalanche took it down easily.

When it was nothing but a mess of warped scrap on the floor, twitching, whining and sparking, the submarine that Reno had taken was submerging out of view, taking the Huge Materia with it.

"Shit!" Barret growled, lowering his gun arm.

"Look," Cait pointed across the chamber. They followed his direction, across the way where several Shinra troops were loading into another submarine. Numerous others charged along the docks and platforms towards the team. "We can go after it!"

They all eyed each other, dubious. Finally all gazes turned to Cid.

He shrugged. "I can _try_."

That was good enough. They dashed across the platforms, mowing down the pitiful attempts to stop them. The loading troops dropped their items and rushed to attack, but they faired just as bad against Avalanche as the last lot. With all visible interference taken care of, one by one the team climbed the rungs of the submarine to the entrance hatch and dropped down inside. They were almost immediately ambushed in the confined interior. During the restricted skirmish Cid took an elbow to the gut.

"Ow, fuck." He bent over winded, and glared at Yuffie.

"Sorry," she shrugged, dusting her hands of the troop she had taken down.

Barret hefted and dumped the unconscious troops out of the hatch and together they progressed through to the control room. Inside were three more Shinra grunts, however these made no move to attack. Judging by the dawning expressions, they were beginning to realize the team was pretty unstoppable now, and three measly troops against Avalanche weren't going to miraculously change that. They chose to retreat, fleeing the submarine. Red made sure they left completely.

The team turned their attention to the many controls and lights waiting for input. Cid hovered over the front console, studying the many buttons and switches. Some were familiar, some weren't.

"Dibs on these buttons," Yuffie pointed at a line of large red flip switches, each encased in a protective glass.

Tifa gazed around at the numerous monitors and dials. "Are we sure we can do this?"

"Only one way to find out," Cid said, gripping the back of the high-backed seat to lean closer. Before he sat down he cast a glance at Cloud. The young man was eyeing the small control room with something akin to anxiety, and if Cid wasn't mistaken he was looking at a man suffering from claustrophobia and bad memories. Cid sneaked a glimpse at Vincent; the gunman watched back, calm and impassive.

"We better get a move on," Cait said, hopping into the second chair. "Reno's getting away."

Cid slid into the seat and took a second to absorb the digital displays and the layout. It was much more overwhelming than aircraft. On the sonar readout he saw the little blimp that was Reno's submarine. How were they going to catch it, board it and steal the Huge Materia all underwater? _Guess we'll find out when we get to it._

He managed to activate the propeller, find the rudder controls and bump into the side of the platform outside as they began moving – in the wrong direction.

"_Down_, we wanna go _down_," Barret chided, hanging over his chair.

"I'm _tryin'_ to go down," Cid snapped, pressing another control.

Behind, Yuffie asked, "Those troops closed the hatch, right?"

The submarine began to sink before he heard the answer, but he assumed they had considering there were no warning alarms or, more pointedly, a flood of water. He knew enough to find the hydroplanes that controlled the angle of descent, and guided the sub down. From there he took the steering wheel, ignored the multiple levers either side of it, and gave it an experimental turn. As expected, the submarine responded. Encouraged, Cid increased the throttle pump and they steadily surged through the water. The chase was on.

It took them a few long minutes to close the gap between Reno and themselves, and a few minutes more they hesitated on action, unsure what exactly they could do. If they sank the sub, how would they get the Huge Materia?

"We can't just ram them into the ditch, pull up and demand the damn thing," Barret said, pacing the small control cabin. "If we blow them to smithereens we could lose it altogether."

"Better lost than in Shinra's possession," Vincent spoke wisely.

Everyone glanced at him and then each other. This was true, if Shinra didn't have it they couldn't send it to space and fail to blow up Meteor. In unison they decided.

"Blow them up," Tifa confirmed.

"Alright!" Yuffie cheered. She loomed over the protected switches, hand poised. "Just tell me when."

The radar pinged in anticipation as Cid attempted to target the other submarine with the unfamiliar monitors. "Fire!"

Yuffie flicked the glass back and snapped the first switch. Minute vibrations were felt through the floor as their torpedo launched, appearing on Cid's radar and monitors immediately. They watched transfixed as it bee-lined for the blip – but it missed, grazing past and falling off radar. The team voiced their disappointment and Cid lined her up again. The second torpedo struck.

"Woohoo!" Yuffie bounced on her feet.

Cid's grin fell as he watched the radar. "The sub's still movin'! What the fuck are these things made of?"

"Hit it again," Tifa urged.

They targeted the blip once more, and with Yuffie's cry of aggression as she flicked the switch they watched with baited breath as the third torpedo hit its mark. For a second they were silent, until it was clear Reno's submarine had ceased its escape and their own blared out a rather loud victory fanfare. They hooted in triumph.

"Do you think Reno got out?" Tifa asked.

"Turks always have an exit strategy," Vincent replied. The voice of experience.

At that second Cid spotted another mark on the radar. It was small. He pointed it out, presuming it to be a mini-sub, a life 'boat' that no doubt carried Reno. They would most likely encounter him again on their journey. The more pressing matter now was the Huge Materia. The submarine had remained relatively intact and had sunk to the seabed. There was a possibility of retrieving the cargo.

"This should be good," Cid muttered sardonically as he attempted to pull up alongside the downed sub using limited visibility. "Doesn't this tub have a liftin' arm?"

After much button pressing and looking, they found it did indeed, although clearly it wasn't meant for use at the bottom of the sea. Their submarine screamed in warning and red lights flashed around the control cabin, but the arm worked, and they endured their sensory abuse while they operated it into the exposed cargo container. It took a long time. When they finally reeled it in, Huge Materia and all, the arm compartment door sealed and the alarms ceased. Unfortunately the ringing in their ears did not.

"Anyone got painkillers?" Yuffie moaned.

Almost immediately following her words a blare of static re-agitated their ears from the console in front of Cait's chair. A voice cleared out over the line.

"All Shinra submarine units, this is Junon Base. Report to Junon dock…" The static overcame the announcer's words. "…Transport of the Huge Materia… two hours… without other assignments will report to guard duty… 'ver and out."

Cid found himself sharing an exchange of looks. What good fortune they were having.

/

The ride and ascent to Junon took a little longer than expected, due to the fact that none of them knew in which direction it was. However, once they had arrived the bigger concern was learning how to actually stop their newly acquired submarine. They gained a lot of attention from the docking station when they rammed the platform.

At his team's complaints Cid challenged them to do better. "It's not like yer can just fuckin' apply _brakes_!"

The crowd of curious troops that had gathered outside was shocked when none other than Avalanche spewed from the submarine, taking them out with a release of pent up energy. Confining spaces seemed to affect them all, not just Cloud. He did appear the most relieved to get out of there, though.

The docking port was crawling with enemies and to say it took a while to clear the area was an understatement. Cid almost took a bullet to the leg from a distant shooter, but he was pushed from the line of fire by Vincent, who spun around and took out the enemy with a single, blind shot. He didn't look back at Cid as he disappeared into the mass of bodies.

They progressively made their way through the sea of blue uniforms, leaving the docks to follow the sea's edge back to Lower Junon, where they retraced their steps to the elevator and up into the military base. They encountered a lot more active guard units, delaying them on their rush to the airport, but they ploughed through. Red was nicked on the hindquarters during one of their battles and Barret took a gun handle to the back of his head, likely because of their haste. Cid's fists were bruised and bleeding. He didn't think he'd ever pounded as many faces as he had today. He was considering using the dynamite.

When they finally burst onto the airport runway they were too late. A robust transport plane was already tearing down the strip and within a few seconds it was airborne.

Cid made a face. "Damn, they've used the Gelnika. I thought that piece of shit design was scrapped ages ago."

"Who cares, where's it going?" Barret questioned.

Behind them more Shinra grunts emerged, determined to take down the troublesome Avalanche. At the same time Cid's communicator beeped. He grabbed it as the rest of his team turned their weapons on the incoming attack.

"Captain, we've secured fuel! Mission success," Holoski exclaimed excitedly. "We're drawing some attention, though, Sir. Your orders?"

"Pick us up at the airport strip," Cid commanded quickly, ducking a flying bullet as his teammates engaged the battle. "We've got a Gelnika to take down."

"Roger that."

Cid put his communicator away and faced the fight. He cupped his mouth to amply his voice and yelled, "Leave one alive for interrogation!"

A minute later they were left with a single conscious troop, whose helmet had been knocked off. He winced every time someone moved. Barret had grabbed his uniform and hefted him off his feet intimidatingly.

"Where's that aircraft going?" Cloud asked stonily.

"Uuh, I dunno!" The troop cried. "I just heard something about a big rocket – that's all!"

Cid's eyes widened as his brow furrowed. "Rocket? As in Rocket Town? _My_ Rocket Town?!" He balled his fists as his mind clicked instantly. "They're firin' the Shinra rocket at Meteor!"

"Aw fuck," Barret groaned, dropping the troop unceremoniously. "If they set that off there ain't gonna be another rocket we can follow up in and torpedo."

With their info obtained they knocked the guy out and awaited the _Highwind_'s arrival impatiently. It rose above the Junon cityscape and picked them up swiftly. She had made it unscathed. Cid was quick to order a course to Rocket Town, and in no time they were soaring across the ocean, speed uncapped. The _Highwind_ was the fastest air vehicle on the planet, so Cid was fairly confident they would catch up to their quarry, but this didn't banish the apprehension gnawing on his stomach.

"Can't believe I didn't realize they'd use the rocket," he muttered to himself as he paced the bridge, poor entertainment for his team and crew. "There isn't anythin' else to _get_ the Huge Materia into space. Gah – so stupid!" He flexed his hands in frustration.

"None of us figured it out, either," Barret shrugged, consoling Cid in his own distant way.

"Yeah, well, this is supposed to be _my_ field of expertise," Cid argued.

"Coming up on the Gelnika," Liza announced from her station, prompting everyone to look out of the glass dome. "Wait, what the…?" Her expression jumped from concentration to alarm as the airship's warning alarms went wild. "Captain – there's something _huge_ approaching the Gelnika!"

Before them, the enormous mass of the avian Weapon grew into focus with frightening speed. Its wings propelled it towards the much smaller frame of the Shinra transport plane. The occupants of the _Highwind_ watched in captivated horror as the giant monster took a midair swipe, tearing off the back end of the Gelnika like it was nothing more than paper. Smoke and fire erupted from the distressed plane, and without much fight it plummeted.

Cid was already in action mode. "Log coordinates of the Gelnika's last position," he shouted to Liza. "And evasive maneuvers right now!"

The Weapon rode the air currents before turning its attention on them, closing the distance between it and the airship. It dove for a collision but the _Highwind_ twisted from its path just in time and instead tumbled in the creatures air steam wake. Cid stumbled into Cloud and they both hit the wall. The alarms blared as the ship leveled herself and both blondes rushed back to the window, clutching the rail as they scanned the skies. The monster was flying away, shrinking from view before disappearing altogether. The alarms died down.

"That was close," Tifa breathed, a hand on her racing heart. Behind her Yuffie was throwing up into the trashcan she had adopted.

"Why did it attack the plane?" Cloud turned his bright eyes from the view.

Cid propped his hands on his hips subconsciously. "Maybe it sensed the Huge Materia," he offered.

Liza lifted her head. "The Gelnika models are used to transport weapons, maybe it sensed those."

By the helm with Berto, Kejon's ear pricked. "There used to be rumors that the Gelnikas transported genetically engineered monsters."

Berto scoffed. "Academy rumors."

"Whatever the reason, we're lucky," Barret said, stepping forward. "We need to get that Huge Materia."

"It went down in the ocean," Tifa noted, gazing down at the endless stretch of blue below them. They had lost sight of the crash site. "If we can steal that submarine again we can recover it."

"Ugh, not looking forward to another squeeze into that tin can," Yuffie wrinkled her nose.

Cid rubbed a hand thoughtfully across his jaw. _Damn, stubble's getting worse._ "It'd probably be better if half of us stay onboard. We were crammed pretty tight in that cabin."

"I'll pass," the young ninja said, shaking her head.

"I'll leave this task up to you, Cid," Cloud said, a note of shame in his tone. "I'll remain onboard the _Highwind_."

Cid wasn't surprised. Back in the submarine Cloud didn't look too happy to be in there. Whatever Hojo had done to him had affected him deeply.

It was with no surprise that Tifa opted to stay onboard, too. She had rarely let Cloud away from her side since they had found him, and she seemed determined not to lose him again. Red sat himself next to her and announced he was staying, too. Underwater travel didn't please him.

Cid turned to their red-eyed team member. "Vince, yer with me?"

The gunman gave a single confirming nod from his solitary position on the lower level. With his arms folded and his chin tucked behind his collar, he couldn't have removed himself from the friendly ambience more.

With Barret and Cait joining Cid's team, the _Highwind_ set off once more for Junon.

/

A short time later Cid was sat behind the controls of the submarine, controlling their dive as they submerged. Luckily, the only witnesses that knew of Avalanche's submarine theft had all been taken out, therefore no one had taken action to move or guard it.

"Coordinates set," Cid said after they had ascended, checking the input screen. "I think."

"I was just thinking," Cait began from behind Cid's seat. "What if those rumors were true, and that plane had been carrying dangerous monsters?"

"We'll know when we get there," Barret muttered. "_If_ the plane's still intact."

"But, _genetically engineered_ monsters might call for more manpower than the four of us," the little cat continued, looking a little unsure.

Barret glanced behind him, and Cid knew he was looking at Vincent. He looked back at the Cait. "I think we'll be fine."

Their cruise through the deep ocean waters continued for another hour. Unused to sitting for long periods of time, Cid ordered Barret to take over ("just follow that marker and don't push any buttons") to stretch his legs. It occurred to him that there were more cabins and compartments in the submarine that they hadn't seen, and he could walk off his stiffness while satiating a bud of curiosity.

When he turned from the controls his eyes immediately sought Vincent. He was seated in one of the two chairs either side of the cabin, looking at the panel with a disinterested focus. He felt Cid's eyes on him and lifted his own. An unknown quality consumed them, something Cid couldn't identify.

He stepped out of the cabin into the airlock chamber, pausing after the threshold to gather his thoughts before continuing to the hatch on the other side. He swiveled the heavy wheel lock and opened it with a squeak, entering a small machinery compartment. He went on to find the torpedo cabin, a small pantry, several more machinery rooms and finally, after climbing down a short ladder, crew quarters consisting of only two bunk beds and little space. Despite his reason for being there, he sat down on one of the hard mattresses and allowed the gate of his thoughts to open. He didn't particularly want to address his issues, but it seemed he could no longer ignore them. Give him life-threatening situations and he could handle them – hell, he enjoyed them. But pit him against his own feelings and sentimental shit and he wanted to bury them in a nice deep hole, along with a few sticks of dynamite.

He ran a hand subconsciously over his bruised knuckles. The blood had dried and was flaking off, but he didn't notice, his mind was far too engaged. It was fair to say Vincent had a pretty good inkling of what Cid thought of him now, and although Cid wouldn't ever take back those words, he dreaded what level of reclusion it would cause. And that was what worried Cid the most. He realized, with a sinking feeling, that his man crush was no more, and something more serious was taking its place. He both loved and loathed it.

He didn't know how long he sat there, carefully touching on each thought that flowed through the gate, but it was some time later when someone dropped through the hatch, making him jump hard. He hit his head on the bunk above him.

Vincent straightened up, cape falling loyally into place behind him. He gave Cid a considering expression. "We thought you had gotten lost."

Rubbing his head, Cid scowled at the man's lack of apology. "Shit, Vince, nearly gave me a heart attack." He lowered his hand. "We there yet?"

"Very soon."

Cid blinked up at him from under the top bunk bed, ignoring the pleasurable jitter he felt under the man's gaze. "Yer got somethin' to say or yer just gonna stare at me?" Not that he didn't mind.

Vincent said nothing straight away. His crimson eyes relaxed slowly in the following silence. Even his tiny actions were beautiful. "You seem troubled."

Cid huffed a laugh but shook his head. "Nah, it's nothin'." He couldn't bring himself to burden Vincent with his problem… Yet. Cid stood. "Better get back to the control room."

As he brushed past Vincent in the confining space, the gunman halted him with his next words.

"What did you mean in the underwater tunnel?"

With his hands and a foot on the ladder rungs, Cid paused. "Exactly what I said, Vince." He answered simply, fixing his eyes on Vincent's. He offered a flicker of a grin before he heaved himself up the ladder and, without waiting, made his way to the control cabin. Vincent didn't follow.

"Hurry up, blondie," Barret chided when Cid entered. "We're coming up on the coordinates and I've got no fucking clue how to stop this thing."

"Move over." Cid slid into the seat and checked the monitors and readings. Almost too conveniently the Gelnika was pretty much exactly where she had fallen in the air. Her wreckage had sunk to the seabed and rested mournfully against a wall of rock. Remarkably, she was in good condition for a plane that had a run-in with a Weapon. Cait, who had been studying the submarine's layout during their ride, revealed theirs had an airlock that was compatible with the Gelnika model. What a stroke of luck.

Vincent returned to the control room just as Cid was carefully maneuvering the vessel into place. A second later they juddered as the airlock latched. So far so good. Barret and Cait disappeared from Cid's vision as they headed to the air lock. He set what he hoped was a submarine's version of stabilizers and followed. They had already opened the hatchway when he got there. Vincent exited first. Cid wondered what he had thought back in the crew quarters. Would he take Cid's meaning as it was, or would he convince himself the pilot was teasing?

The Gelnika's interior was relatively intact. The Weapon had luckily only taken out the engine compartment. But the plane was evidently not airtight, and salty sea water had already begun to leak through. The team dropped from the ladder they had descended, splashing in several inches of water. They froze cautiously, listening for possible survivors or… other things. They could hear only the constant DRIP of water echoing eerily in the dark, dim lighting. It flickered often, threatening to fail.

"Let's go," Cid said, walking ahead of them all, eyes forward and alert. He was careful as he padded through the water, unable to see much. It was unlikely anything would be lying in wait to trip him up in this compartment, but he would rather be safe than sorry, cautious instead of klutzy.

He noticed a solid door on his right and tried the release. It gave compliantly, opening into a room with a sunken level and strewn objects and papers. Cid stepped onto the walkway and peered down. It looked like a research room. A very cold, inhospitable research room. It seemed dry in there, but there was even less light to see by.

"I don't see a chest anywhere," Cait announced searchingly beside Cid.

"I can't see a damn thing in here," Barret said.

"I have superior vision receptors," the little cat stated proudly.

"Good for you…" Barret didn't sound too thrilled.

Vincent said nothing.

As Cid turned from the room he caught the man's glowing eyes, marveling at their splendor and luminosity. They met his in the darkness easily, unhindered by the shadows. Cid looked away. He wouldn't get distracted.

They left the research room and proceeded to the other end of the entrance space, unlocking the hatch there. It led them into an empty hallway with yet another door at the end. It was through this one that held the Gelnika's cargo.

"Damn," Barret uttered.

The cargo room was a huge space, making up the majority of the Gelnika's interior. Two mangled helicopters lay mournfully on their sides below them, amidst a mess of whole and shattered crates, few surviving boxes, barrels, stray equipment and loose parts. Water was rushing in through a seam in the large, corrugated access door, pooling on the tilted room's floor.

"What was that?" Cait asked suddenly, gawking down at the shadows and large crates. "I thought I saw something move."

Cid squinted through the darkness, but there was just too little light to see with. "Vince, yer see anythin'?"

Vincent stepped before them all on the walkway, his stance stiff and alert. "No. But I sense something."

The pilot's blood ran cold. Maybe those rumors were not just stories.

The flickering lights blinked once, twice before they went out, plunging everything into pitch black.

"Vincent, Cait, yer our leads," Cid ordered, taking his weapon in hand. "If anythin' moves, shout its clock location. Now let's get movin'. Quicker we find that HM the quicker we can get outta here."

They moved slowly along the walkway with callouts warning Barret and Cid of objects in their way. The lights tried valiantly to flicker back on, and occasionally they did, but not for very long. They carefully descended a set of metal steps down to the cargo floor, and tentatively made their way around the forest of crates and boxes, like rats in a maze of erect shadows.

"Four O'Clock," Vincent said suddenly, already flicking down the safety of his gun.

Cid turned to his right, detecting the sounds of something large shuffling towards them. The lights tossed down a brief flash of illumination, allowing a glimpse of a monster that could have easily materialized from a terrible nightmare. Huge yellow teeth barred down on the team, exposed in a gaping, skin-less mouth. Cid registered a double set of black hollow eye sockets before the darkness reclaimed the rest of its identity.

The loud shot of Vincent's gun and the torrent of Barret's weapon shredded the air, eliciting a blood-curdling scream from the creature. Its silhouette charged forward, urging Cid to dive from its path. He came up and delivered a swift jab to its underside, hearing the sound of liquid splash heavily on the floor. It reared back and snapped at him, millimeters from his face. Its breath was what rank would vomit at.

Cait Sith called a warning. Another monster was approaching from eleven O'Clock – but from whose center? Cid heard it before he saw it – a head of horrific shapes and sizes mashed into one creature. Deadly prehensile appendages flailed and writhed like black whips.

Cid swiped his bladed spear at the first, following it with a precise thrust to where the head was. It roared and scream, thrashing in pain and anger, flinging gunk everywhere from its wound. Encouraged, Cid lunged forward again and plunged his weapon into the creatures scull, crunching bone and slicing tissue. It squelched, rumbled, sighed and then died. Cid avoided its falling bulk.

The second monster was thrown into relief as the lights flooded the room, allowing Cid to witness the full extent of its experimentation. It had slithered its way towards him without his awareness in the dark, and now he was forced to hop back.

Bullets ripped through its deformed, mutated crown, sending flesh splattering the crates, but it shrieked in rage, still alive. The tendrils sprouting from its head whipped and sliced the air like angry snakes, sharp and deadly. It twisted to face Vincent and Barret, hissing as it slashed at them, leaving its back unguarded and open. Cid took it, leaping into the air to haul his weapon down, impaling it straight through. Its ugly maw reared and screeched, writhing to retaliate against him. Cid wrenched back, but as it struggled and thrashed its tendrils whipped towards him like knives through the air. He twisted back, avoiding all but one. It struck his chest, but the force wasn't hard enough to knock him down. Instead he stumbled back and regained his balance, watching as bullets mangled its warped body and finished it off quickly. It collapsed heavily to the floor, releasing a last, low whine before it died.

Cid fell to his knees suddenly, unsure why his legs had failed him. With the lights flickering back he caught sight of his teammates glancing about warily, guarded against more unwelcome fights. When their focus turned to him, their faces fell. Cid looked down. Blood blossomed from his chest, saturating his clothes with frightening speed.

His teammates rushed to him as he teetered on his knees. Sound garbled together as hands caught him, but he distinguished his repeating name in Barret's worried voice. He caught sight of Vincent's eyes as his vision began to fail, they were full of alarm. And fear.

_Must be bad,_ he thought to himself right before he lost consciousness.

/

**AN:** Cid's dead. The end. Hahah, nah I'm not that cruel. I love injuring Cid, but I would never permanently harm him… on purpose. Also, Rude and Reno were supposed to be on the Gelnika, but due to the quick time the plane sank and for a creditable storyline I omitted their fight.


	33. Stubborn

**Journey**

/

**AN:** Yet another chapter that caused me trouble. You can find a first version on my live journal again. Please read this one first, though ; )

/

The first thing he became aware of was the extreme discomfort. He itched and he ached, like he had been sleeping in much too long. Cid never lazed often, his lifestyle was usually too busy for such luxuries, always eager to get started on his engine work, but when he found time he _could_ make it to noon. This was usually his limit because any longer and his body protested. He was pretty sure it was past noon right now.

He shifted on whatever he had fallen asleep. The fabric was comfy even if his position was not. His hand groped for the sheet covering him. Fresh cotton feel. Smelled odd, though, like hospital disinfectant. His throat tickled and a grunt escaped him. Something hummed in the air, short and deep. He barely registered it and tried to sit up. Something pushed him down gently. He heard the soft rumble again, a little more defined. A voice. His eyes slid open slowly. A pair of red ones watched back. Cid said something, his mouth moving of its of volition before his eyes closed again, sore against the light. Then the dull pain hit him, radiating from his chest. He lifted a hand to feel his sternum, feeling soft flat gauze across his skin. He wondered why that was there.

"Cid…"

The deep voice, smooth, smoky.

Cid mumbled something. He should get up, he must have slept in late, and Shera would be buzzing in, telling him he was wasting the day away.

"Cid."

Goddamn, that was one nice baritone. His eyes fluttered open again, but past his lashes he could make out very little. Red-Eyes was still watching him.

"…Shera know yer here?" Cid muttered, rolling his head in the pillow. "Gas turbine's in the shop. Jammed compression rotator …gotta be fixed." He tried to sit up again, there was work somewhere to be done, but the force on his shoulder returned, pushing him back down firmly but carefully, remaining in place. It was warm, his skin was bare.

"Cid, you're on the _Highwind_," the voice said.

"I am the Highwind," Cid scowled. Pretty idiot didn't even know whose house he was in.

"Your airship."

Cid paused. His airship, of course. He had named it after himself. A memory dug itself to the surface, of Avalanche in his kitchen, Shera with them. He relaxed into the pillow as more memories followed.

"Vincent," the name rolled off his tongue. He peered at the gunman through half-mast eyelids, able to register that perfect face. "Vince… You alrigh'?"

A touch of amusement graced the man's fair features, Cid's concern was misdirected. "Yes. How do you feel?"

Cid blinked several times, trying to increase his focus and awareness. "Weird… where'm I?"

The hand on his shoulder removed itself, taking with it the comfortable weight. "The _Highwind_'s infirmary."

The pilot took a moment to register his words. He swallowed, his throat dry. "Did we get the Huge Materia?"

Vincent reached for something. "No. We had to retreat." He held something in Cid's limited field of vision. "Drink."

Catching sight of the glass of water, Cid took the straw between his lips and a second later blissful liquid soothed his throat. It felt strange to drink while horizontal. Cid released the straw and inhaled loudly, drawing in a refreshing lungful of air. Combined, the oxygen and water cleared his mind somewhat. He glanced around with better focus. The infirmary, from what he could see, was empty and dimly lit. He started to sit up once again.

"Thomas recommends you remain down while the wound is healing," Vincent told him, pushing him back down.

Disgruntled, Cid's brow furrowed. "That why they left _you_ to confine me to this cot?"

"He did suggest you were a stubborn patient," Vincent said lightly. "Someone had to keep you rooted."

Cid made a displeased face, pressing his head into the pillow. "How bad was I?"

"Very. The creature was poisonous and the wound severe." He paused for a long moment, leaving something unsaid. "Your medic predicts a fast recovery, though."

Cid listened, registering the hesitance in the man's unspoken words. He got the distinct feeling Vincent had excluded something. Cid tucked that conjecture away for later and turned his attention to the matter at hand.

"How long've I been out?" He asked, words still slurring together a little. "The others okay? Are we on our way to Rocket Town? Has Shinra done anythin' to my rocket?"

Vincent's head lowered, hair obscuring his face, but through his bangs Cid caught the distinct, albeit small, curl of a smile. When his face lifted he had composed his renegade features.

"Whuh?" Cid demanded. Had he been more lucid he would probably be smiling, too.

"Thomas warned me you would wake with a bombardment of questions." Vincent blinked softly, leaving an adequate gap before answering. "You've been unconscious for seventeen hours. Barret and Cait are fine. Your co-pilot has set us down on the east coast of the west continent, and Shinra have not yet made it to Rocket Town."

Cid processed his answers, wondering which to address first. Finally, he came out with, "_seventeen hours_? What the hell've I missed? I've been out for a whole day – what time's it?"

"You haven't missed anything of importance," Vincent assured him patiently. "It's three thirty in the morning."

Cid was still processing seventeen hours. That monster had obviously inflicted a very potent poison on him. He glanced around what he could see of the infirmary. The time explained why no one else was there. It was strangely serene with the low lighting and quiet air; even the ship's engines were silent. Vincent's strong presence was oddly soothing, his faint leather scent pleasing to Cid's nose. The atmosphere between them was calming, he could have easily laid there all night – staring at him the whole time if possible. It felt _right_ to have him by his side, watching him.

Gesturing for the glass, Cid took it from Vincent and sipped from the straw, his throat suddenly very dry again. He tried not to sit up, unused to the awkward position, he would only be held down. _Shit, don't think of that out of context…_ "What're Shinra doin'?" He asked as he handed the glass back, desperate to banish the resulting visions. "Why'vn't they launched the rocket?"

Vincent put the glass on a small table. "Most likely because the Gelnika didn't make it there. They've been conducting searches for the missing plane beneath the ocean. It seems they are unaware we found it first."

Cid closed his eyes and sighed. "We could have had all four'uv'um." Fatigue crept upon him quickly, threatening to pull him into a forceful slumber. "Rufus mus' still be furious though. Wish I could see 'is face." He opened his heavy eyes again. "Yer been watchin' me all night?"

"Yes."

Cid smiled. "Were yer worried 'bout me?"

"…Yes."

The smile faded slowly. He held Vincent's gaze, warmed throughout by the man's rare admission. In the hazy realm of his tired mind, the little voice said something quietly, far away. Almost instinctively, Cid reached up a hand and threaded his fingers through the back of the gunman's hair. He drew his head down gently and pressed his lips to Vincent's. They were soft, so perfectly soft. And _responsive_.

Cid parted slowly, savoring the experience, the tingle of the contact. He opened his eyes. Vincent was watching him, an exposed light in his eyes that instilled him with a look of wonder. A small, soft smile curled Cid's lips as he rested his head back into the pillow, combing his fingers through Vincent's hair as he brought back his hand.

"Jus' like I thought," Cid murmured. Unable to battle his fatigue any longer, he let his eyes close. A few seconds later he succumbed to sleep, feeling more peaceful than he could ever remember.

/

He awoke to the sound of low voices permeating his consciousness. They stirred him to a realm of semi-awareness where he could distinguish each speaker, but not their words. An incoherent mumble escaped him and the voices stopped. He sensed them approach.

"Cid? You awake?"

Cid's eyes flickered open only to shut again. It was hard work waking up. "'S'at Barret?" He slurred.

"Like you had to ask," the gunman answered, a smile in his tone.

"How're you feeling?" Came Tifa's voice.

He tried once again to open his eyes, gaining more strength. He spied Barret and Tifa's faces looking down at him, and Thomas behind. Cloud's spikey hair lingered in the background. "Like shit."

"He's okay," Barret was glad to deduce.

Thomas fussed over Cid for a minute, checking his vitals and asking relevant recovery questions while the fuzzy haze disappeared. Cid was scowling when Thomas retreated to his work corner, but the verbal stimuli had cleared his mind, and he was able to sit up, ignoring his dizziness.

"Shit," he hissed, bringing a hand to his chest. He looked down. Gauze had been taped across his torso, and he'd been stripped of his clothes. Thankfully, Thomas had preserved his decency with a pair of drawstring scrubs. "What happened? Where are we? How long was I out?"

Barret folded his arms as Tifa tilted her head, both amused. Cloud stepped into better view beside Barret.

"Don't you remember talking to Vincent?" Tifa questioned.

Cid frowned. "When?"

"You woke early this morning," Tifa said, picking up something on a small table behind her. "He told Thomas you had come to for a few minutes." She held out a glass of water.

The drink and the straw were like a catalyst, and the conversation he'd had with Vincent hazily floated back. He couldn't recall all of it, but he remembered bits and pieces. Shinra were looking for the Gelnika, and Cid had been out for – what was it? Seventeen hours? There was something else he was pretty sure he should remember, but all he could bring up was a warm, contented feeling that had been detached from a memory.

"What time's it now?" He asked after a long gulp of water.

"Almost nine in the morning," Cloud answered, sitting down on the cot opposite.

Cid looked at Barret. "What happened after I passed out on the Gelnika?"

The large gunman sat down next to Cloud, arms still crossed. "We had to get you outta there, you were bleeding out badly. Your blood must have drawn out the rest of them monsters because we were surrounded in seconds. We got out without a scratch, though."

"Pretty lucky," Cid replied absently, trying to summon up his fuzzy memories.

"Damn straight. And it was lucky you showed me how to steer that damn sub 'cause it was up to me to get your bleeding ass to the surface. Cait helped a bit," he added with a shrug. "Vincent kept most of your blood on your inside, your jacket was used as a compress. One of your crew is trying to get the stains out." Barret paused his face dropping faintly. "You died for a minute in that submarine."

Cid was silent for a moment. "…Damn," he cussed softly.

"It was the hemotoxin," Thomas said walking back with his clipboard in hand. "It targets red blood cells and organs, and with your blood loss it was actually a miracle Mr. Valentine revived you."

"Vincent did?" Cid questioned, absently rubbing his chest. It stung and ached, but there was a discomfort inside his ribcage, too.

Barret had adopted a strange expression in response. "He got yer heart starting again. Never seen him look so worried –"

Cid's mind stumbled on Barret's word, dredging up a partial vision. He remembered Vincent admitting he had been worried about Cid, and then… he had kissed him. Holy shit, how did he forget that? He remembered it so clearly now, he even felt the ghosting touch of Vincent's lips on his. Reciprocating. A giddy knot twisted in his navel; Vincent had kissed him back. That told him a lot – it told him that little voice could have been right…

Barret was still talking. His voice floated back into distinguished words again. "…After we got you onboard we decided we should get a cure materia for sure. We should have gone after one before now."

"We'll make it our next mission after this rocket fiasco," Cid said distantly, still focusing on last night's memories.

Barret gave a shrewd smile. "We've already got one."

Cid blinked. "Eh? When?"

"Cait's controller gave us the location of a nearby Shinra storage facility," Tifa answered. "We raided it last night."

"Got a couple of other goodies, too," Barret said, proud of their haul.

"So I _did_ miss somethin'," Cid complained. He would have loved a good rummage in a Shinra warehouse. He slid off the cot carefully with Tifa's guiding hand, suffering a rush of light-headedness. His vision blurred and his felt sick. "Can we get healin' me then?"

"Red's taken it down into the wilds for some mileage," Cloud spoke up. "It's too weak for your level of injury."

"Typical," Cid muttered, blinking back his vision. "Shinra found the Gelnika yet?"

"Yes," Tifa answered, drawing an air of significance to the topic. "Cait told us a few minutes ago. We're waiting on the Shinra's next move. We don't know if they'll go ahead to Rocket Town with just one Huge Materia."

"So we're just waitin'…" Cid summed up, more to himself. He let a few stray thoughts chase each other through his mind. The prominent of which were Barret's heavy words. Cid had _died_ on the submarine. How close had he been to the point of no return? The words rung hollow in his head, as of yet without weight and full meaning. It would hit him later when he chose to dwell on it, but even so, it was certainly an eye opener. He was a mere mortal, he could easily die on this dangerous expedition. He had always known that, but hearing that he actually _had_ made him realize how short their lives could be. Avalanche probably had the shortest life expectancy on the planet right now. They had been foolish to run around without a cure, finding one should have been their top priority. How had his friends reacted in the submarine, knowing that they had already lost one dear friend, temporarily lost two others, and had been faced with losing another? What if he had died for good? Sure, there was a possibility they would all perish if Sephiroth won, but there was something very different about Armageddon and a dying alone. He would never see Shera again, he would never get to fix up the _Tiny Bronco_… he would never get to hear Vincent laugh someday. If he'd died, would Vincent remain with the team to the end? Would any of the others fight for his companionship? Without Cid, who would tell him to live?

"Where's Vincent?"

"I think he's in his room," Tifa answered, watching him take a few unsteady steps. "He might be sleeping, he looked pretty rough."

"He did his monster trick down in the sub," Barret informed him, slightly guarded in tone. Galian was still a risky topic to him. "But he still stayed awake to keep watch on you."

Cid lifted his clouded gaze. "He got injured?"

Barret blinked. "No. Come to think of it, I don't think he did. I didn't see, we all had our hands full getting you outta there."

Cid frowned. He thought Vincent could only change if he got seriously injured. Maybe he had.

"Captain, you're going to want to lie back down," Thomas came over, carrying a bucket. "The antidote I gave you had to be modified for the potent strain of poison, which is still in your system. It will probably have some side effects."

At that second Cid grabbed the bucket and upchucked into it.

"That's one of them," the medic said.

"Ugh," Cid groaned. The longer he stood up the worse the nausea became. He sat back on the cot with the bucket, but it did little to ease his condition. He didn't want to lie back down, even if his body was urging him to do so. Cid wanted to find Vincent.

But that cruel mistress of fate had other plans for him. After he vomited bile into the bucket again he was forced to lie back on the cot. He only hoped that if Shinra made any move it would be after he was fully recovered.

Tifa, Barret and Cloud kept him company in the solitude of the infirmary, passing him much needed glasses of water and mints to rid him of the taste of bile. They were still with him, talking, when he fell asleep.

/

The second time he awoke in the infirmary he found Red watching over him from the adjacent cot, head on his paws. Cid sat up slowly, testing his sore body. His nausea was almost completely gone, but whatever pain medication Thomas had given him before had worn off, leaving a throbbing, sharp agony in his chest.

"How long've I been out?" He half groaned as he swung his legs down.

"A couple of hours," Red answered, raising his head. "No word on Shinra's actions yet. Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah." Cid found the glass of water and finished it. "How's that cure materia?"

"Still weak. We did manage to heal that wound on the back of your head and your bloodied knuckles, though. Vincent has the materia now."

Cid brushed his palm across the nape of his neck, feeling the smooth skin. "Why? Where is he?"

"Outside in the wilds." Red yawned and gave a stretch. "He's close in case we have to move quickly."

The vision of Vincent's eyes close to him floated back into Cid's head. He could have sworn he had a dream based on the real event, but it had faded quickly. Damn dreams. Cid slid off the cot to his feet. "Gotta stretch my legs."

Red hopped down to the floor. "I'll join you."

Unable to find his boots or clothes in the room, Cid stepped out of the infirmary with nothing but his scrubs bottoms. The grating underfoot was cold on his bare feet as he walked with Red at his side, but he barely noticed. His mind refused to let go of last night. He had no regrets, no doubts of what he did. Did Vincent?

"Cid," Barret's voice called.

He had arrived at the galley, mentally bypassing the entire walk there. The whole team, minus Vincent, had gathered to eat.

"Feeling better, blondie?"

"Yeah." Cid stood by their table, unsure what exactly he was doing there. He knew where he wanted to be, but he couldn't go outside without his clothes. "Update me."

Tifa gave a tight smile. "There's nothing new, sorry Cid. Shinra haven't made any move yet."

"Damnit."

"You still don't look too good," Barret commented, eyeing Cid's less than focused state. "Your medic said you should eat something."

The thought of food made him feel sick. Cid rejected that idea, and despite the looks of concern on his friends' faces, he ambled back out of the galley, unwilling to argue with them on the matter. Red remained by his side, all the way through the decks until they came to the bridge. It was empty. They stopped at the glass dome. The weather outside was dull, why was it always dull lately? By the look of the treetops swaying outside it was windy, too. Cid pictured Vincent with wind-swept hair and a smile crept onto his lips. He couldn't get the man out of his head anymore. He was infatuated.

They watched the outdoors together in peace for a while. One of Red's best qualities, aside from his fighting prowess, was his ability to share silence without the need for awkward talk. His presence was similar to Vincent's, in a way; calm and strong.

Finally, when Cid brought himself out from the sea of his thoughts, he felt his toes going uncomfortably cold and the pain in his chest was urging him to lie down. He turned from the bridge, and announced he was going to his cabin. Red bid him a good rest and wandered off. A few minutes later Cid was at his door, keying in his code. His stomach felt empty and growled angrily at him, but his throat constricted and his mind told him he shouldn't listen to it. He didn't. He stumbled into his cabin, forgetting to close his door, and crawled into his bed. The weight distribution eased the pressure from his chest and the aching died off somewhat. He felt himself dozing off quickly, darkness reclaiming him. He wondered when the damn poison effects were going to disappear completely, because he really didn't want to feel this shitty when they confront Shinra.

He didn't know if he slept for one hour or one minute, but it felt like he had barely snoozed before his senses jerked him back. His eyes slid open, catching side of movement. Vincent's back was moving to the door.

"Vince?" Cid mumbled, his voice croaky.

The man halted. He cast a slow look over his shoulder in Cid's direction. "Sorry. I did not mean to wake you. Your door was ajar."

Cid blinked awake and propped himself onto his elbows. He frowned at Vincent's cold demeanor. "Yer just got back?"

"Yes." He moved to the door again. "Get some more rest."

"Whoa," Cid called, halting him. "What the hell's yer rush? Get yer ass back in here."

"Cid," Vincent began.

"Don't gimme that," the pilot warned, sitting up properly. He winced at the tugging pain in his chest. "I know what yer doin'. Well yer can _stop_. The day's long past when yer shitty attempts to put some distance between us might've worked." He bore his eyes into the man's caped back. "Gonna tell me _why_?"

Vincent was silent for a minute. His profile was half-tucked behind his collar. "I can't do this with you, Cid. I can't… _start_ anything."

Cid huffed a little harshly, prompting more pain. "Nah, it's not that yer can't. It's that yer won't." Vincent still didn't look at him. "Why didn't yer pull away last night, then?"

"I should have…"

"Why?" Cid demanded. When he didn't receive an answer he got to his feet. "Damnit Vince, tell me why."

"Because I'm not human, Cid," Vincent said. "You deserve that much, at least."

Cid balled his fists and tried to contain his rising temper. "We ain't startin' this again. Yer as human as I am, and yer ain't gonna change my mind on _that_. So gimme yer next excuse."

At this Vincent did look at him, an indignant anger tugging his brow. "You think of it as an _excuse_? I don't know the full extent of destruction I can cause, because of what I am. Forgive me if my _excuse_ is trivial."

"Yer _excuse_ is confusin' as hell," Cid almost shouted. "If yer was worried about that, why the hell didn't yer shut me off like the rest of 'em? Why give me the special treatments?"

Vincent glanced away quickly, glaring. "A naïve mistake. I didn't think that you harbored anything other than platonic curiosity… I didn't think it would come to anything…"

Cid almost felt insulted. "Curiosity? Yer thought I was just interested in the supernatural side of yer?"

"Weren't you?"

Cid gesticulated wildly. "No!" He cried indignantly. "I'm curious about the _whole_ fuckin' _package_!" For a moment all he could do was glower. Vincent had that ability to ignite his fuse far too quickly. "Damn, you know how to complicate things, I'll give yer that!"

Vincent half turned from him. "Everything about this is complicated," he remarked. "Everything I am is…"

Cid stared at him hard. "Yer own powers might scare you, Vince, but they don't me. I've seen yer discover new things, and Damnit if I don't wanna be with yer when yer discover more." He stepped closer to him. "The only thing that's dangerous about you is this stupid notion that yer think yer don't deserve anythin'. Well bullshit. I just learned that I almost lost my chance with you. I could have died for good, and I would never have been able to tell yer I think yer fuckin' amazing." He paused, listening to his own words ringing in his ears. "That's right," he declared defensively. "I said it; I think yer amazin'. But what pisses me off is how low yer think of yerself. Damnit, Vince, if yer want somethin', yer gotta go for it."

"It's never that easy," Vincent almost whispered, a memory clearly haunting him.

"In this case it _is_," Cid argued. "Yer said the woman yer once loved didn't return yer feelin's. Well I _am_ doin'."

Vincent looked at him, a combination of longing and troubled emotions swirling in the depths of his eyes. "Cid," he began.

Cid's patience ran out. "For fuck's sake." He hooked finger into the gunman's collar, jerked it down and kissed him. It was rough and demanding, angry even. He poured his frustration and his passion into it, pushing meaning into the contact. He felt Vincent respond, hot and hesitant at first, but as Cid exerted more force Vincent pushed back, his inhibitions let go, his want and longing clear. Cid could taste his power, feel it tremble behind his restraints. It was intoxicating.

The intensity eased and the kiss became a calm, exploratory caress. Cid's hand found its way to Vincent's face, their aggression replaced by sensuous care. He was lost in the waves of sensations. When he finally pulled back an inch, his heart was hammering against his sore injury, yet he barely felt it.

"No more arguments," Cid said, his voice thick. Vincent's breath teased the skin on his lips.

The sound of soft footsteps approaching quickly from the corridor outside brought them both from their stupor. Vincent stepped back, leaving Cid's hand hanging mid-air.

"Cid?" Cait appeared on his mog at the open door. He glanced between them briefly. "Shinra are on the move! They're going ahead with their plans to blow up Meteor – they're heading to Rocket Town _right_ _now_!"

_Shit!_ Cid cursed mentally. _What crappy timing!_ He looked at Vincent, wanting nothing more than to continue what they had started, even if it meant shouting some more. But he couldn't. He turned to the panel on his wall and activated the tannoy. "All hands, engage ship's engines and set a course for Rocket Town, maximum speed."

"We have to tell the others," Cait said quickly, heading back the way he came, expecting them to follow.

Cid paused, looking at Vincent once again. _C'mon,_ he gestured, their 'argument' on hold. They followed the little cat down the corridor.

"I'm going through the logs of the submarine that found the Gelnika," Cait continued, obviously referring to his controller. "It didn't report back to Junon like I thought. It went to Costa Del Sol. They're transporting the Huge Materia via the helicopter there. They have a big head start."

Cid looked at him. "Yer fuckin' kiddin' me?" He growled. The _Highwind_ was much further away from Rocket Town than Costa Del Sol was. He did a few quick mental calculations. "Chopper's max speed is about 330 MPH, but they won't be doin' that." He paused a beat. "Say an average of 280… I've clocked it before and it took me…" He trailed off into his head. A few seconds later he came to a conclusion. "We can probably get there right behind 'em."

They arrived at the galley to find Avalanche on their feet, waiting. Cait and Cid repeated everything to them as the tell-tale vibrations of the airship informed them they were on the move.

"How long will it take to _reach_ Rocket Town?" Cloud asked.

"Several hours," Cid said grimly. They should have taken the _Highwind_ directly to Rocket Town instead of hanging around between it and Junon. If he'd been awake, Cid would have done so.

"Ugh, I hate waiting on this flying deathtrap," Yuffie moaned.

Behind Cid, he heard Vincent shifting. When the pilot looked he caught a glimpse of the cape disappearing from the galley.

"Thomas said you should eat something, Cid," Tifa said, drawing back his attention. "Before we get to Rocket Town."

"Yeah, later," Cid said dismissively, deciding whether or not to run after Vincent. He still had no appetite, especially after what happened in his cabin. Food was the last thing on his mind. He rubbed his bandage absently.

"He also said you should report back to the infirmary." Tifa glanced at his chest, concern in her eyes. "He needs to change your bandage."

Cid studied the look on her face. She must have been very worried about him, and in a few hours they would be engaging in strenuous fighting that could potentially hinder his recovery. He had a good bet that Tifa was considering this. Cid didn't particularly like making anyone worry needlessly.

"Fine, I'll head there now," he muttered.

Minutes later he stepped into the infirmary. Thomas was pleased to see him. He gestured to the cot and asked him to sit down so he could examine him. Cid forced himself to remain still as Thomas removed the gauze, getting a good look at the scar there. It was pretty impressive, a deep gash across the valley of his pectorals. No wonder he had been in bad shape, the poison had traveled only a short distance to his heart.

"Your sternum is also fractured," Thomas told him, trashing the old gauze. "It'll be sore for several days, or until your cure materia is strong enough to mend bone."

"Seriously? The hit didn't even throw me to the floor," Cid frowned.

"I believe Mr. Valentine cracked your bone," the medic said. "He was doing compressions on your chest and must have exerted a little too much strength."

Cid fell into another fresh pool of thoughts. He watched what he imagined might have taken place down in the sub, watched Vincent pressing his chest, trying to restart his heart. Had he been afraid of losing Cid? Had his restraint been compromised by his fear? Cid followed the tail of another thought train. Maybe the pilot's brush with death didn't just spur _him_ into action. Perhaps that's why Vincent had let last night happen, and again only minutes ago – despite his obvious conflictions and issues. He had been mentally scarred all those years ago, but he was obviously _trying_ to push past it… Cid couldn't imagine Vincent letting anyone kiss him if he didn't want it. Which meant he _did_ want it.

Thomas had replaced the bandage and was saying something about Cid's clothes and food. He didn't really listen properly, hopping off the cot with his mind focused on one thing. Cid made his way from the infirmary, his bare feet padding quietly on the grating. He stopped by his open cabin, but it was empty. Thankfully the Huge Materia chests were still there, so that ninja brat hadn't been pillaging again.

Speaking of, the sounds of Yuffie groaning drew louder until she appeared at his door, looking worse for wear with a sick bag clutched in her hand.

"Can I lay down in here?" She moaned, shuffling into the room.

"No, I don't want yer throwin' up all over my room," he replied, folding his arms, and consequently hissing in pain. He lowered them again and rubbed his chest. "Go lay down in the stables. Yer know where it is?"

"Ciiiid," she complained. "Pleeeaase? I wanna get some rest before we get to Rocket Town. I've got my bag." She raised her pitiful brown bag. It'd be lucky if she managed to sneeze in there, let alone hurl. "Where's yer trashcan?"

"It got full," she muttered, looking longingly at the bed.

Cid made a face and looked for his little metal bin. He picked it up and dropped it by the side of the mattress. "Don't yer dare puke on anythin'."

"I won't," she mumbled, grateful nonetheless. She practically fell into the sheets.

Cid closed the door behind him, and with a purpose in his step, made his way around the quarter's deck to Vincent's door. He knew the gunman would be there. Sure enough, a few second after he knocked Vincent met his eyes from the open door. The way he looked at Cid now was different, but not in an entirely bad way.

"Hope yer not gonna try and avoid me," Cid said.

"Impossible to do so on an airship," Vincent replied wittily. He seemed slightly withdrawn, though.

Cid smiled, pleased by his light remark. He didn't really know what reaction or behavior to expect. "I think I've got yer figured."

An air of intrigue passed across Vincent's features. His head tilted very so slightly. "Is that so?"

"Yeah," Cid began, holding his gaze and resisting the urge to grab the man and kiss him senseless. "Yer want things, just like anyone does. But yer deny yerself them. Yer don't think yer deserve them because of what yer are and what yer can do, and that makes it easier for you to turn away." He paused a beat. "But yer scared of losin' them… And even more afraid that if yer get attached, yer'll get hurt. Again."

Vincent's eyebrows had furrowed slightly, but not in anger. There was a touch of resentment there, bitterness for the truths that Cid was exposing aloud.

"But yer've gotta _go_ for the things yer want, Vince," Cid continued strongly, feeling strangely philosophical. "'Cause tomorrow they might not be there."

Nothing changed in the gunman's face, but those last words clearly struck him, and he stared at Cid wordlessly. Silence fell between them, a tight, fragile air. Cid had absolutely no idea what he would do. Would he deck him? Close the door. Turn into Galian and really throw him into the stratosphere?

He was surprised when Vincent reached out, twined his gloved fingers through the back of Cid's hair and brought their lips together. It was a period of bliss and _right_ and everything the pilot wanted. Vincent's initiation was tentative, as though he still wasn't sure he had the liberty to take such an intimate thing. Cid cupped the back of Vincent's neck and deepened it, opening up for Vincent and giving him everything he was in that one contact. Emboldened, Vincent pressed back firmer, seeking Cid's tongue, exploring his mouth. He broke the kiss with a distinct sound and peered at the pilot through heavy eyelashes, both a little breathy.

Cid swallowed, finding his voice. "If yer ever wanted to shut me up, that's the way to do it."

"I'll remember that," Vincent replied huskily, his voice doing all sorts of things to Cid's body. He almost asked him to say it again. "You are a stubborn man, Cid Highwind."

Cid felt ridiculously warm. "And you," he began, nudging the length of bangs from Vincent's face. "Are so damn beautiful."

A quiet sniff of amusement drifted across Cid's hand, and Vincent's eyes twinkled. "I have never been called that before."

Cid smirked softly. "That's not true."

/


	34. Outer Space

**Journey**

/

Cid couldn't recall the last time he felt strongly about anyone. He had never had time for a meaningful relationship, and any that he did manage to find had been superficial and short-lived. He didn't commit because no one had ever captured Cid Highwind's full curiosity. None had ever had the ability to steal his attention away from his life dreams – because _they_ had been the only thing to deserve his commitment. His time at the academy had been made of solo nights studying, days of practical learning, and often showers of 'alone' time, that negated any desire to find someone. The few relationships he'd had could barely have been called that, and he had earned a reputation as a result. He had even become the subject of a 'project' a few academy students had secretly organized. He hadn't even known their true goal; he'd harbored no interest in anything other than his studies.

For Cid to have actively sought after someone made him realize how high he revered Vincent. The man had unintentionally captivated him in every way, commanding his highest respect. Cid hadn't even thought a _man_ could showcase any traits that would attract him, let alone fascinate him. How wrong he was.

The Fates That Were hadn't left him with much chance to remain with Vincent. Omar had forced him to the galley to eat a meal under Thomas' orders, after which Cid had to traipse over the ship looking for the crewmember who had apparently been trying to de-stain his clothes. He'd found them much later in their own quarters, having soaked his jacket, pants, shirt and undies in their little shower cubical. Cid took them to the engine room, draping them above the warm machinery in the hopes they would all dry by the time their flight was over. His shirt was still stained faintly, but his beloved jacket had miraculously come out unharmed.

"I guess if I had to be lucky it was with my jacket," he mumbled to himself, leaning against the machinery. _What are you saying? Your luck fell on your chance with Vincent, not your jacket!_ "True," he told himself. He felt elated for the first time in a long time about something other than a machine, and it felt strange to him. He was overcome with the urge to show his genuine care, to prove to Vincent he would never treat him anything less than the god he was; but he had to remain cool about it, it wasn't in his character to fawn over someone.

Cid carefully folded his arms, considering each thought as they popped into his head. Vincent would still have lingering doubts, he knew this, but it was Cid's job to convince them from him. And he would. He needed to show Vincent that Cid Highwind was worth the trouble and, more importantly, that Vincent was so much more than the monster he thought of himself.

All _that_ while they saved the world and avoided Shinra. _Well, no one said I liked it easy._

/

The helicopter was already at Rocket Town when they arrived, and while they had expected to be a few minutes behind, the apprehension was still an unwelcome feeling. Having gathered their things (and dry clothes) they immediately descended from the airship, sprinting into the town. Cid caught Vincent's eye as they went and gave him a grin, regretting their short time together but promising more. Vincent's eyes held a shine of hesitation, but they lingered encouragingly. Yes, there was definite work to be done on his mindset, but he had the existing spark to help him. If Cid could walk up to Shinra and ask them to put their shenanigans on hold so he could work out this _thing_ he had started with Vincent, he would.

In the town, nothing seemed very different to Cid; for some reason he thought the Shinra would have left a trail of mess in their wake, as a spiteful gesture – but they didn't know Avalanche were following.

"Hey, Cid m' boy," called an elderly man, leaning on what Cid knew as his front gate.

"Can't talk, Ral," Cid said as they hurried past. "Got Shinra to pound on."

"Take this," the man called after.

Cid turned around in time to catch a spear from midair. It was none other than his Venus Gospel, his beloved weapon that had gotten left behind when he joined Avalanche. It was tailored to him by an excellent weapons maker years ago. Ral was the resident weapon handler, he had probably asked Shera for it, and judging by the shine and smooth surface he had given it a clean.

He threw a word of thanks over his shoulder as he sped up to rejoin his team, tossing his current weapon aside (he would get it later). From the back he barked directions to the rocket site, right through to the edge of town into the expanse of trees and grass that surrounded the area. The rocket loomed in and out of sight through the trees until eventually they emerged.

"Wow," Yuffie awed, craning her head back to gain a better look. "It looks so much bigger up close."

Cid felt a swell of pride, but it was quickly deflated by the approach of Shinra troops.

"Avalanche!"

The team engaged quickly, initiating the fight. Cid had barely lifted his spear, in the midst of a series of twirls when the pain in his chest stalled his movements and he was forced to abort his attack. He clutched his wound and hopped back from danger, watching the rest of his team deal with their enemies. When they had finished Tifa turned to him, concerned.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"Fine," he grumbled, moving past her to continue onwards. He felt Vincent's eyes on his back, watching his movements carefully. If Cid wasn't fit for strenuous activity he would probably call him on it. If he had been worried to lose Cid on the sub he wouldn't be happy to watch him rip the wound open again.

They hurried around the base of the rocket, across raised steps bridging a way over thick cables. They collided with another group of Shinra guards, and once again Cid had been forced by his own body to stand back. He was _not_ a happy pilot. He stormed ahead to the ascending steps leading up to the platform at the front of the rocket.

"Don't let them get any further!" Someone ahead yelled.

A troupe of blue uniforms rushed down the steps towards the pilot, who gripped his weapon, gritted his teeth and charged, determined to take down _someone_. The power behind his thrusts was affected noticeably, but he managed to down two guards before Avalanche caught up to him, taking out the rest.

"I'm gonna kick their sorry asses right outta my rocket," Cid promised darkly, climbing the rest of the stairs. His chest burned but he refused to show it. Once on the level platform he attached his weapon to his back and began climbing the ladder that ran up along the rocket to the entrance hatch. He heard the sounds of his teammates following him, catching the sound of Yuffie squawking at the sheer height of it. Cid was used to it, barely giving the vast, beautiful view a look as he climbed onto the walkway above.

"You again." Came a smooth, deep voice.

On the narrow platform Cid found his way to his rocket blocked by a bald Turk. He was far from old, but the sun bounced off his shiny scalp all the same. The Turk's eyes were hidden by a pair of shades, but his mouth was set, determined, as he stepped forward.

"We must eliminate those who stand in Shinra's way," he announced darkly.

Before Cid could blink the Turk was in his face, and out of pure instinct he brought his spear up to block the first hook. It probably would have shaken loose a few teeth had it struck. The second attack was just as rapid, an uppercut that might have sent him to space sans rocket, but again Cid blocked. However, the third jab caught him, and it was swiftly followed by a front kick that struck his ribs and sent him stumbling back, winded and in agony. He hit the end railings of the walkway, glancing up in time to see the Turk rushing towards him again.

"Stop right there, Rude," Tifa growled behind him, having made it up the ladder. Her fists were balled and she had adopted an offensive stance.

"Tifa," the Turk, Rude, said as he half turned to her. There was a soft tone in his voice. Maybe he knew her. "I can't let you into the rocket."

Cloud climbed onto the walkway behind Tifa, followed quickly by the others. There was barely enough width for them to stand next to each other.

"Yer outnumbered," Cid sneered, straightening up from the railing, hand over his throbbing wound.

Rude looked at him, assessing Cid's condition before turning his hidden eyes on the rest. "Retreat back down the ladder, or I will throw Highwind over the edge. Which of you would care to try to stop me in time?"

Cid's dignity and temper took a sharp spike. "Hey!"

Between Cloud and Tifa, Vincent pushed through them and leveled his gun at the Turk. "I will." He thumbed off the safety.

For a long time Rude did nothing but stare at Vincent, who of course in turn did the exact same back. Avalanche shifted uneasily.

"Vincent Valentine?" Rude questioned, hesitantly. "Records stated he was dead… a long time ago. You can't be him. And yet… Those eyes."

Vincent motioned subtlety with his gun. "Step away."

Behind him, Tifa's expression softened. "Rude, please. You can't fight us all. We'll let you leave." She moved away from the ladder, pushing those behind her back, too.

Rude's impassive face held nothing to indicate his decision, but after a second more he gave a single, stiff nod. "Logically I should retreat. I would fail against you all here. A Turk knows when to make such calls. I will stand down, but when we next meet, I will not." And with that he turned completely from Cid, casting a second glance at Vincent, before hopping over the ladder and out of sight.

Tifa moved to Cid even as he walked back to them. "Are you hurt?"

"My fuckin' pride is," he grumbled. "C'mon, let's get in there." As he passed them he clapped a hand on Vincent's shoulder, rooting him. "If you'd have blown a hole in his head, I'd've gotten brain matter all over my jacket, and I _just_ got this thing washed."

Vincent blinked at him, his eyes flickering between Cid's. "I could have shot out his knees." He countered lightly.

A grin pushed its way onto Cid's face. He wanted to kiss the man, but whatever they had discovered between them was at a delicate stage, and it was likely the both of them would prefer to keep it discreet in front of the others. For now.

They rushed into the rocket, meeting a Shinra guard in a red uniform. They dealt with him quickly and chucked him outside. Cid stormed through the metal corridor until he came to the control room. Inside, three station workers in stony blue overalls were working the controls.

"Hey, what the hell're you guys doin'?" Cid demanded, gaining their attention as Avalanche filed in behind him.

"Captain!" The middle of the three exclaimed, a man in his thirties. "You're here! Shinra told us you weren't a part of this. Sir, the rocket's set to launch, it's heading for Meteor."

"I fuckin' know that," Cid exclaimed angrily. "They're gonna try and blow it up."

The woman on the left stepped forward. "Except that we just noticed the auto-pilot drive is malfunctioning," she said hastily. "The rocket can't get there without it. Or unless someone pilots it," she added.

"Shera is fixing it," the third person, another man, told her.

"Oh, well that won't take one hundred years," Cid said sarcastically. "I'll sort this. Get out, you three."

They saluted him and, despite knowing he was no longer a Shinra employee, obeyed his commands and left.

"What're ya gonna do?" Barret asked, stepping closer to the consoles for a curious look.

When Cid looked around they were all glancing about, fascinated with the features inside the control room. "Well if it ain't on auto-pilot I can direct it anywhere. They've refueled it! It can finally fly – like it was damn well meant to!"

Tifa placed a hand on his arm. "Cid, are you saying what I think…?"

Cid pressed a couple of buttons on the console. "Shera must be in the system room. If I can tell her to abandon the repairs the rocket can only work on manual control – which means Shinra won't be able to blast it to Meteor. _We_ can use it!" His heart was racing, excitement coursed through him. He could have complete control over the rocket, they could explore space _today_!

"Cid –" Cloud began, but at that second the floor beneath their feet vibrated, increasing to tremors. A loud roar began to fill the air around them.

"What the hell?" Barret said, alarmed.

A short crackle of an open audio connection broke above the din. "Auto-pilot repairs complete!" Came Palmer's sickeningly spiteful voice.

Cid lunged for the button. "Palmer! What the fuck did yer do?"

"The mechanic informed me everything was good to go," Palmer said gleefully. "And I just got word Avalanche had forced their way onto the rocket. What luck! Two birds with one stone." He broke off, laughing and cut the connection.

"Godsdamnit, Shera! Why'd she pick today to get fast?" Cid frantically tried to access the auto-pilot, but his controls beeped negatively at him, denying him access. "Shit – it's completely locked up!"

"Ciiiid…" Yuffie called his name warily as the shaking became stronger and the noise even louder.

"Lift off!" Palmer's voice crackled back on through the speakers.

Cid snapped his head around to glare at it, wide-eyed. "No count down?!" He growled, enraged. "It's not the same!"

"I think we have _bigger_ fucking problems!" Barret shouted at him, stumbling into the wall.

Cid fell into the pilot's chair, ignoring the safety belts and gripping the seat. The magnitude of the shaking rattled his very bones and the rumbling was so loud and so deep he thought his ears might burst. Someone gripped the back of his chair, and he caught a glimpse of Vincent's claw and his hair waving into Cid's peripheral vision.

And then he felt it, the punch as his stomach sunk and the rest of his weight following. The rocket was launching, everything vibrated, the noise was horrendous – but _magnificent_. His brain felt like it was trying to crawl down his spine. Calls of alarm from his teammates wavered just above the din. He could only imagine the sight from the town; he half wished he was there to see it. He gritted his teeth and watched through the monitor as the blue sky transitioned into a deep indigo before suddenly giving way to black. Stars twinkled invitingly as the noise died down and the shaking calmed to a tolerable vibration.

"We did it…" he said, staring at his monitors. He pried his hands from the chair and stood, gaping at the readings and the view from the screen. It was beautiful. "I finally made it…"

"Are we safe in this rocket?" Yuffie trembled, obviously worried and a little bit frightened. Space travel was something many people still believed was unobtainable; a fantasy. To say it was a big deal was a massive understatement. "I mean, we're not gonna suffocate, are we?"

"No, no, 'course not," Cid snapped distractedly. He brought up a digital map of the rocket's trajectory. It clearly showed the path through space towards the huge rock. "Impact with Meteor in forty five minutes."

"Can we do something?" Tifa asked, anxiety in her tone. "If we don't change course we'll…" She trailed off meaningfully.

Mind still whirling with the impact of his life's dream now a reality, Cid barely heard her. It took a second for him to register her words. "Palmer went outta his way to lock the auto-pilot," he said, bringing up a status report of the drive. He attempted a few bypass commands but they denied him access to the controls. "This rocket ain't goin' anywhere."

"What?!" Yuffie yelped, clinging to the wall and looking at the view in terror. To some people the empty void of space must look terrifying. But to Cid it was incredible. "We're gonna _die_?!"

"Keep yer undies on," he smirked. "I gave this boat an escape pod. Standard air travel emergency procedure." He moved across the control room to an intricate panel of lights and touch-switches, and pushed a series of buttons to authorize the escape pod. It beeped positively at him. _Phew_.

"So we can get back to the planet?" Yuffie cheered up considerable, hand on her stomach.

Cid looked back at the view screen, watching the stars blink and the sight of Meteor growing larger. "Yeah." A longing gripped him, and he wished he could have more time. His life's dream was an actual reality, but he couldn't relish it, and in a way it was even more frustrating. He glanced back and found that the lure of the unknown hadn't captured just _his_ curiosity. Red seemed hypnotized by the blackness, and Cait had never stood so still and silent before, his robotic sensors most likely absorbing everything. Cid cast his eyes on Vincent, and although his crimson gaze was on the stars, his focus seemed slightly beyond, and the fingers of his right hand were touching his heart. There was the barest trace of a frown at his brow.

"What about the Huge Materia?" Tifa's soft voice broke through the silence.

"We can get that easy," Cid answered, his voice drawing Vincent's attention. Their eyes met briefly before Cid moved over to the second hatch in the room. "Follow me."

He led them from the control cabin to a ladder in a short corridor, climbing ahead slowly to wait for the rest to follow. Red, Cait and Yuffie remained where they were, watching Meteor draw closer and closer, unwilling to leave the visual reassurance if their impending collision. Cid led the other four through another corridor and up a second ladder to an isolated chamber. In the center was the containment case holding the Huge Materia, an energy field protected it from removal. They gathered around it.

"It requires a code," Cid recalled, gesturing to the digital pad on the case. "The default code was always my birthday, but I bet Shinra have changed it. Bastards."

"Well, what's your birthday?" Cloud asked, kneeling by the pad.

"It's only four digits, so 2202," Cid answered.

Cloud input the numbers, and to their amazement there was an affirmative beep and the protective field deactivated, taking with it the main illumination of the room. Dim light filtered in from the opening on the floor.

"That was too easy," Barret said suspiciously.

"I bet they didn't think we would know about the rocket," Tifa guessed, watching Cloud remove the Huge Materia from its case.

"That's Rufus' inexperienced leadership for yer," Cid sniped unkindly, folding his arms aggressively. "The cocky shit underestimated us."

"So we've got them all? Can we get off this space train now?" Barret asked, turning back to the exit. He passed Vincent on his way to the ladder, the first to descend. Tifa and Cloud followed.

Cid took Vincent's arm in hand. "You okay?" He eyed the fingers brushing across the gunman's heart once again.

Vincent lowered his hand. "Fine," he answered.

Recalling the glow beneath his chest on the _Mudroller_, Cid wondered if whatever supernatural power he had was reacting to the space conditions. He reached out and placed his palm over Vincent's heart. The soft _badum, badum_ of his heartbeat pulsed softly through his leather, but radiating faintly was a strange, warm sensation. He wasn't the only one that felt it. Vincent drew back slightly, touching the spot with a look of vague bewilderment.

"What does that feel like?" Cid asked quietly, almost a whisper.

Vincent met his eyes and shook his head minutely, a wordless answer. He couldn't describe it.

"Space sickness, maybe?" Cid asked with a teasingly lilt. At the responsive frown, he added, "Space pilots had to take endurance tests, and it was discovered that some of 'em didn't react well to either the artificial gravity or zero gravity. They called it space sickness. It's kinda like sea sickness, I guess."

"No. It's not that." Vincent answered, despite knowing it was nothing more than a jest.

Cid moved with him to the exit hatch. "Galian?"

"…Possibly." Vincent considered the likelihood, but didn't seem convinced. He hopped onto the ladder and climbed down, leaving Cid watching his black spikes bob softly before following.

When they returned to the control room, the sight of Meteor had grown to an unnerving size in the monitor. Yuffie immediately pounced on Cid, demanding they make it to the escape pod now. The closer they drew to Meteor, the closer they would be when the rocket hit, and the more likely they would be at risk of damage by debris.

"We have the Huge Materia?" Red confirmed.

Cloud held up the object for all to see. "Yeah."

"Alright follow me," Cid said, pushing past everyone to lead them from the control room and through to the other side of the entrance corridor. The engines vibrated gently underfoot, and Cid felt remorse for their plan to bail. It had been an intricate part of Rocket Town, and more importantly, a huge part of Cid's life. It had become a foundation of his home, and to know he was letting it fly to its destruction left a bitter, guilty tang in his mouth. He had been tending to the rocket since Shinra had discontinued the space program years ago, and if they survived he would have to grow accustomed to his town without its namesake.

As he led them through the oxygen tank room something drew him from his forlorn thoughts. An irregular electrical noise alerted him to a sudden, sharp blue spark to his right, and before he could warn anyone an explosion threw everything into chaos. In a burst of bright light and a deafening burst of sound Cid was thrown against the opposite side hard, landing heavily on the cruel metal grating. His senses were stunned. They slowly returned, leaving a ringing in his ears and a white flash in his eyes as he blinked back to awareness. He caught sight of Cloud and Tifa shifting sluggishly, covered in ruined pieces of the tanks and warped sections of panels. Cid tried to draw his legs in and stand, but a stabbing pain in his left one halted his movements, and he hissed in agony.

"Gagh," he gasped. He looked down to find a huge slab of mangled metal pinning him to the floor. "Shit. My leg." He tried to heave it off, but succeeded only by increasing the pain in his chest wound. Lights sparkled in his vision "Fuck!"

"Cid –" Barret's voice called, hurriedly climbed his way over the mess to the pilot's side. He tried to lift the heavy sheet of metal but it was a massive panel. The resulting movement of the hard material crushed Cid's leg even more.

"Aggh! Fuck," He rasped. "Stop! Che-check on the others. They alright?"

Barret reluctantly turned from him to Cloud and Tifa. They moaned, moving slowly as the large gunman helped them up.

"Red's injured," Cait called from somewhere.

"I'm fine," came the hound's strained reply.

"Yuffie?"

She moaned, followed by the sound of metal tumbling to the floor. "Owch… I'm okay. Vincent protected me." She paused. "He's hurt. He's bleeding."

"Vince?" Cid called, unable to twist around. Steam was billowing from the broken oxygen tank, dulling visibility.

Barret disappeared from his vision. A few seconds later he spoke. "He's out. Shit..." Rustling. "Stay away, he might change."

"What? No – check him, Damnit," Cid demanded. "He's hurt!"

"It's okay, I've got him," Yuffie said. "C'mon, Vincent… wake up… Who's got the cure?"

"I haven't."

"I think Vincent had it."

Barret returned to Cid's side. "C'mon, we've gotta get this off'a' Cid."

Cloud and Tifa stumbled over, both looking worse for wear. There was a nasty bruise forming on Tifa's temple and Cloud's blond hair was stained with a smudge of blood. They all gripped the metal panel uneasily and heaved. But it didn't shift. They tried again. Failed.

"It's too heavy!" Tifa groaned, her face pained.

"Fuck," Cid gasped again, in agony over the rocking motion across his leg. It felt like it was being bluntly sawn off. "Stop. It ain't goin' anywhere, and there ain't much time. Get yer asses to the escape pod, right now –"

"No –" Tifa began.

"_Yes_," he snapped. "Yer've gotta go before it's too late – any closer to Meteor and the escape pod might not survive the rocket's impac –."

The sound of the door sliding open cut across him. "Captain?"

It was like a slap in the face. He blinked at the doorway. Shera, in all her lab coat and bespectacled glory cast her worried brown eyes at the hectic scene. Her eyebrows tugged up at the Captain's situation.

"Oh, Captain!"

"Whu – what the hell are yer doin' onboard?" Cid demanded.

"I didn't leave when I finished the repairs," she answered, rushing towards him. The others ogled her in disbelief, as though she had popped up out of the ground. "Oh no! Captain – we have to get you out from under there!" She rushed into place beside Tifa, gripping the edge of the panel, looking desperately at Avalanche.

They gritted their teeth and tried to lift the metal panel again, moving it centimeter by slow centimeter – but barely three inches up Cloud grunted and dropped it unintentionally, clutching his arm. Around the excruciating pain Cid saw another, much larger bruise forming along Cloud's bicep to the crook of his elbow. It looked incredibly painful. It could have been broken for all he knew. But one thing he was certain of, they weren't getting the panel off.

"Listen," Cid swallowed, panting for air between his labored breaths. "This ain't movin', and yer chances are growin' smaller and smaller –" Barret tried to interrupt, but Cid wasn't having it. "Shut up and listen! Yer've got the Huge Materia, that's the important thing – yer job is to stop Sephiroth and save the planet. Now fuck off and do it!"

"No, Cid," Cloud began quickly, desperately. "We can't leave you – we can't lose another –"

"_Yes you can_!" Cid shouted, scrunching his face in pain. His chest was hurting so much it was difficult to breathe. "This is my stop, and it's a damn good one, so light a fire under yer asses and _get goin'_!"

"I _can't_," Cloud enunciated, his blue eyes a torment of sorrow. "I can't _do_ that, I can't abandon –"

"Cloud, if _ever_ you were gonna listen to me, do it _now_," Cid gritted his teeth, desperate for the young man to hear him. "Yer've got a responsibility to this team, yer the leader, yer have to look out for the majority, because yer _know_ deep down that yer can't risk losin' all just for _one_." He bore his eyes into Cloud's, burning his purpose into them. "Without Avalanche there'll be no one to stop Sephiroth. Don't yer _dare_ put me before the world."

Cloud faltered, his decision torn. He closed his eyes tightly. When he opened them, he was sure of what he had to do.

"Captain…" Shera whispered.

Tifa's face had contorted with anguished, and she placed a hand over her mouth. "Cid…!"

"GO!"

She sobbed softly, turning from him. Shera knelt by Cid's side as Barret disappeared from view. He reappeared with Red and Yuffie, Vincent draped over his back. Dark blood dripped down his pale face, his matted hair trailing over Barret's shoulder and down his chest.

"Cid," Yuffie's voice wavered, her eyes welling.

"Look after Vince, ninja brat," Cid requested weakly. He wanted to say more, hell, he wanted to talk to Vincent, but he couldn't. Would Vincent be angry when he woke? Would he be sad? Cid didn't want him to feel that, he would give anything to avoid burdening him.

"I will," she answered, her voice high and barely contained.

Cait appeared by Cid, his mog missing, presumably damaged. "You're a hero, Cid Highwind."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Cid wheezed. "Get outta here before I blush," he added sarcastically. Even in the face of death he couldn't resist. Shera's hand brushed his hair and he looked up at her. "Shera… It was tank eight. You were right… _I'm sorry_."

She smiled sadly at him. "I forgive you, I always have."

Cid slumped back, feeling strangely light. Her forgiveness had left him with a sense of tranquility. "Yer too good to me, Sher'. Now go. Yer ain't stayin' here. Yer've got people to persuade about future space travel." He gave her a trademark grin.

She returned it weakly, bent over him and placed a kiss on his cheek. He watched her rise to her feet and join the others waiting at the open hatch. Tears fell. Cid found his gaze drawn to Vincent's closed eyes. He wouldn't even get to say goodbye. He would never hear that laugh.

They lingered in the door, unable to tear away from him. But they had to. Cloud knew their time was almost out, he couldn't afford to waste it. In one swift motion the hatch slid closed. They were gone.

Cid stared at it, feeling both an overwhelming sense of relief and a powerful sense of despair. He chose to push the latter deep down, and instead focus on the positive thought that Avalanche would succeed. They would save the planet and be hailed as heroes, recognized for the brave, perilous adventure they undertook to defeat Sephiroth and Shinra. Would they be treated right? Would Barret and his daughter be well off, would Tifa's bar become famous? What would Cloud do? Yuffie? Red? Would they find out who Cait's mysterious controller was? Would Vincent end Hojo and find a new life… or would the scientists of the world find him? Cid's heart began to race in redundant apprehension; what if they rediscovered him? Oh Gods, what if, by saving the planet, it exposed Vincent to the scientific community, and they locked him back up? No… no, it wouldn't happen. Avalanche wouldn't let it happen… right?

"Damnit," he cursed softly. His eyes felt hot, but not because of his situation. He closed them. "Damnit, Vince. I'm sorry… I didn't wanna leave yer…"

About now Shera would be disengaging the escape pod. Meteor was probably minutes away. Cid wouldn't have to wait long. He hated waiting.

Something distant, muffled, echoed through his thoughts. He opened his eyes. That didn't sound like the escape pod detaching.

The sound of the hatch opening was loud, slicing through the air. Cid looked up. In the doorway, hanging onto the edge was Vincent. The blood had almost completely covered his face, but his eyes were his most piercing feature. They glared at him from behind his bangs.

"Vince?" Cid croaked.

Vincent stumbled into the oxygen tank room with Avalanche behind. "You are a _stubborn_ man, Cid Highwind." Vincent growled softly.

Cid glanced from his approach to the others. "Yer should be _gone_! I told yer to get the fuck outta here!"

"He forced the damn pod doors open!" Barret gestured to Vincent. "Lemme tell ya, I wasn't gonna stop him!"

Another flood of relief bombarded Cid, and his heartbeat kicked up a pace once again. He was glad – he was _pissed_ – but Vincent had come _back_ for him.

Vincent moved to the panel crushing Cid and wrapped his hands around the edge. Barret rushed forward to help, but before he had even reached them the heavy metal sheet began moving. Gritting his teeth, Vincent closed his eyes and focused, hefting the slab up, up until the pressure on Cid's leg came away. He pulled it out painfully, shocked by a bolt of pain, almost losing consciousness. It was agony. But he was _free_.

Vincent dropped the metal panel loudly and collapsed to his knees, panting audibly. Barret rushed around and hauled Cid up.

He gasped in pain. "Fuuuuck!" He couldn't put any weight on his leg, he could barely move it, and he sure as hell didn't want to look at it just yet.

"C'mon, we gotta go –" Cloud urged them quickly, gesturing with his good arm. "Let's go, let's go!"

"Vince," Cid half-coughed out.

Tifa was at Vincent's side, helping him to his feet. Cloud assisted, and together, the whole team rushed away from the tank room, along the corridors back towards the pod. They were aware time was ticking by, they had precious few seconds to spare. Cid could barely stand, but he couldn't drag them back now, not when they had sacrificed their chances for him. The pain was overbearing, but he forced his mind to focus on one thing: Vincent.

The open doors of the escape pod came into view, and seconds later they threw themselves inside. Shera hit the locking code and the doors sealed behind. Another few commands produced an electronic beep, a warning tone, and the escape pod jerked. They had detached from the rocket.

Barret slowly lowered Cid onto a left side seat, careful of the bloodied mess that was his leg. Cid hissed, breathing hard and deep in an attempt to remain conscious. When he was sure he wouldn't throw up he lifted his gaze. Tifa had set Vincent down beside her, his eyes were closed. Beside him Yuffie gripped the edge of her seat, knuckles white and face scared. Red and Cait had braced themselves on the floor by her knees.

The escape pod shook as the wall plate was ejected from the pod's exterior. Through the window pane on the left of the pod came a blinding white light, bleaching all stars from view. Everyone shielded their eyes. Seconds later the pod was thrown from its smooth trajectory, drawing a cry of terror from Yuffie and shouts of alarm from the others. A yelp of pain escaped Cid as he was jerked from his set. Something hit the pod, creating a sharp jolt and a frighteningly loud BANG. They were shaken around like ragdolls in a washing machine, sure that at any second they would be pulverized by a huge chunk of rocket debris.

BANG

An alarm wailed in the small cabin, drawing Shera from her seat to scrabble for the control panel near the door.

"Port hull is weak!" She announced, fingers dancing over the keys. "Another hit like that and we'll have a breach!"

"C'mon, baby, hold together," Cid chanted, clutching his chair, willing the escape pod to avoid further damage.

The shock wave threw one last round of turbulence at them, knocking Shera from her feet and almost everyone from their seats. Cid felt an arm cushion his fall onto the hard metal bench in the center, and he managed to glimpse Vincent behind, having thrown himself forward. Cid's head might have been cracked open on the edge. A second later the violent shaking ceased and the pod found a level trajectory once again. The white light had died out, leaving a haunting flash in their eyes as they picked themselves back up.

Cid pulled himself upright, head spinning, pain throbbing. He managed to drag himself back into his seat where he slumped, mentally fatigued. Everyone around him shuffled and rustled, shaken from the ordeal. But they had survived the explosion.

"We're alive," Yuffie exclaimed, her tone full of disbelief. A soft, giddy smile broke across her face.

"See?" Barret elbowed Cid despite looking shell-shocked. "Plenty of time."

Cid huffed, mostly from amusement than anything else. They had been _very_ lucky.

"Did it destroy Meteor?" Red asked, gazing at the blackness outside.

"I doubt it," Cloud answered, nearest to the window. "I can't see anything yet. If the pod moves around, we'll find out."

Cid knew they what they would see. His eyes traveled across everyone's faces, landing upon Vincent's closed eyes. Tifa nudged the hair from his face so she could now see the injury. There was a tear in his bandana right in the center of his forehead, and beneath that was a healing gash that the cure materia had only managed to knit together a little. As though sensing the pilot's gaze Vincent's eyes opened, meeting his. They shared a long, silent exchange. Cid smiled and rested his head back, watching Shera pass a medical kit to Tifa. She began cleaning Vincent's face.

Shera knelt by Cid's leg propped on the center bench and carefully rolled back his torn pants hem. Cid dared a look and wished he hadn't. Although it didn't look broken, seeing his own bone was still a _little_ bit off-putting, and he made a face.

"Ugh, that don't look good," he commented, glancing casually away. _Great, now I feel sick._

Yuffie _was_ sick. Thankfully she turned into the corner and gagged on a few drops of bile, nothing more. "I hate air travel…"

"There's no _air_ out there," Barret told her, avoiding the sight of Cid's leg as best as he could.

"You know what I mean!"

Shera did her best to clean the mangled limb and bind it tightly, but it was all she could do. There was nothing to ease the pain, so Cid chose to distract himself. He turned his eyes on the thick window pane, watching the stars twinkle at him. He dragged himself over to it and pressed a palm to the surface, feeling the cold through his gloves.

"Look at all those stars…" He said, feeling dizzy, excited and lightheaded. "It's amazin'. We did it, Shera."

She smiled at him. "_You_ did it, Captain."

The pod spun slowly around as it flew through space, allowing Cid and Cloud to glimpse the impact site.

"It's still there…" Cloud announced quietly.

The pod moved around further, and everyone saw. Hanging against the backdrop of white dots was the huge mass of Meteor. Only, the rock was no longer one single piece; one side had been bashed away into smaller segments, all of which were bonded to the main body by sparking blue currents. Its course had not altered one bit.

"Even if they'd had all the HMs," Cid began, "it wouldn't have stopped it. There'd just be more Meteor fragments."

"So it's really up to us now, huh?" Yuffie said softly.

"It always was," Barret answered.

They fell silent, watching the view rotate away from Meteor until the blue and green orb of the planet filled the window. It was breathtaking. Cid could see the cloud formations floating above the land, and through the atmosphere he could make out the mountains of Wutai, and the seas in-between the continents. It was an image he would never forget.

Cid glanced back at Vincent, wanting him to see. Crimson eyes flashed, sharing a mutual appreciation of their view. Although, as Cid continued to watch him, he realized that while the vision from the window was a one-in-a-lifetime, he found it harder to tear his gaze away from those carmine eyes. They captivated him far more.

Beside Vincent, Tifa had noticed their over-extended exchange, and Cid turned back to the window to avoid any questioning looks. He didn't particularly care, but he was still a fan of privacy when it came to… relationships and shit.

The escape pod entered the planet's atmosphere, shaking them all once again as they came into contact with resistance. Friction burned at the outer hull and the port hull alarm began wailing out, reminding them of the weakened defenses. Thanks to Shera's deft hands she guided them down without incident, controlling their rapid descent until their parachute deployed and they floated safely down into the ocean. The landing was a tad rough, tossing them about for the last time, but they had braced beforehand, prepared. Cid called the _Highwind_ crew, reeling off the pod's coordinates for the airship to follow.

/

When the _Highwind_ picked them up several hours later Cid was taken straight back to the infirmary while the airship drifted aimlessly, awaiting a destination. The escape pod was stored away, its data banks hopefully undamaged and full of information. Thomas cleaned and dressed Cid's leg, pleased to note it was not broken or fractured, but it had taken a pretty rough beating, and he wasn't going to be walking on it too soon. He was given something for the pain before Thomas turned his attention on Cloud's arm. Tifa's head injury had been small enough for the cure materia to heal, so she helped clean up Red's bleeding neck.

Holoski joined them as Thomas declared Cloud's arm fractured. "Captain! It's good to see you all alive! When the rocket took off with you inside…" the man shook his head. "I was worried, to say the least. What happened up there?"

Cid gave his co-pilot a run-down of the past events with the help of his teammates, summing up everything as short but precise as he could. His pain meds made him drowsy, and right now he just wanted to sleep.

"Do we have a course?" Holoski asked several minutes later.

"Not yet," Cid answered. He had no clue what they were going to do next, they hadn't discussed it. "Stay alert on the bridge, I'll contact yer when we do."

Holoski saluted and left.

"That kinda brings us to the next topic," Barret said, perched on a cot. "What do we do now? We've got the Huge Materias, what do we do with 'em."

"I don't know yet," Cloud answered, watching Thomas wrap his arm. "I'm still processing space…"

Cid smirked. He had been in space. Space! He was stilled psyched. "It was weird," he began, mouth moving before his brain decided so. "Lookin' down at the planet from above. It was smaller than I thought, just hangin' there. Alone." He pulled off his goggles to rest his head on the pillow, tousling his hair. "On top of that, it's got Sephiroth festerin' inside it like a sickness… It's like a kid. A sick kid in the emptiness of space, all on its own." Cid blinked at the ceiling. "We've gotta protect it."

Barret looked at Thomas. "What kinda shit did you just give him?"

Cid sat back up. "I'm not high," he blurted. "Don't tell me that you guys didn't have a change in perspective up there. Don't tell me yer didn't look down and realize no one has ever seen the world from another angle. Literally. We won't be _just_ be savin' life _on_ the planet, we'll be rescuin' the _planet_, too."

"True," Tifa agreed, watching him. "But how do we do that? We don't have a direction right now, no plan…"

"We need to brainstorm, consider our options," Cid told them, glancing around every face until he fell on Vincent's. He was watching him, the line of his brow soft, his eyes gentle. A look he only ever gave Cid.

In the silence that followed, Red's ears perked and he straightened. "Did you… hear something?"

Cid listened but heard nothing. "What?"

Red tilted his head. "Wait…"

Straining his tired ears, Cid focused on the quiet. Then he heard it. The mournful, painful whine that infiltrated his body.

"What was _that_?" Shera asked, looking alarmed.

"The planet," Red answered. "The planet is crying." He looked at her. "My Grandfather told us it's alive, and it feels."

Shera placed a hand to her chest in shock, registering this information. "Is that really true…?"

"Yeah," Barret said, hopping off the cot. "Maybe that's where we should go. To see Red's Grandpa. He might be able to tell us something helpful. Maybe he'll know what we can do with the Huge Materias." He looked at Cid.

Shrugging, the pilot agreed. "It's the only idea we got. Let's go." He reached for his belt and came away empty handed. "Where's my communicator?"

Thomas handed him it, and Cid was able to relay their next stop to Holoski. The _Highwind_'s direction changed and she began another long journey to Cosmo Canyon. Once done, Cid slid off the cot.

"If anyone wants me I'll be in my cabin," he announced shortly, hopping on one foot.

"Captain, I said _stay off_ the leg," Thomas reprimanded, reaching for his arm and holding him back. "Let me get you the collapsible wheelchair."

"Fuck that," Cid pulled his arm free. "Vincent can help me."

Everyone in the room looked at said gunman, who blinked and dutifully moved to Cid's side.

"Hey, don't you yell at him for saving your life," Tifa told the captain sternly, assuming Cid wanted a word with him. He hadn't been happy that Vincent had risked everyone's life to return for him, and he'd said as much in the escape pod.

"I ain't gonna _yell_ at him," Cid told her over his shoulder as he slung an arm around Vincent's neck and hobbled to the door.

"Make sure he elevates that leg – and check on that chest wound!" Thomas called after them, just before the door slid closed behind.

Vincent helped him along the deck all the way to his quarters, both men silent with only Cid's occasional grunts of effort. Inside, Vincent lowered him onto the mattress and watched as the pilot hutched back against the pillows and lifted his bandaged leg up carefully. The pain was only a dull ache thanks to the meds, but Cid was beginning to think he was going to end up in that accused infirmary every damn time they went out.

"I find it uncanny that yer've saved my life three times in as many days," Cid said, staring at his leg. "I must attract death like flies to shit." Vincent said nothing. The pilot looked up at him. "… Yer were aware that yer risked _everyone's_ life to save mine on that rocket?"

"Yes."

Cid watched him, catching sight of that strange glaze in his eyes. "What did yer think?"

At this Vincent frowned softly, confused by his question.

"About space."

"… It was… fascinating," Vincent replied, considering his response, thinking about their experience. "And yet chilling…"

Cid tilted his head curiously. "How so?"

Vincent's gaze drifted. "Humans have lived their entire lives on the ground, surrounded by familiar, identifiable objects. To be thrust into an environment without anything even similar is disconcerting. We relied on an engineered vessel to sustain us in the most inhospitable setting known." He paused. "But the chance to look at the stars from their own terrain was incredible… and it makes me wonder if one day mankind will touch those same stars, thanks to your innovation."

Blue eyes wandered. "Touch the stars…" He echoed. "An accomplishment like that would require true ambition for space travel, and sadly this generation is lackin' it."

"Then perhaps that is your new goal after we save the planet."

Cid lifted his gaze. "Heh, yeah, maybe yer right." He studied Vincent for a moment, thoughts circling around. The only evidence that he had been wounded on the rocket was his torn bandana and blood-matted hair. "Sit down."

Vincent didn't move. "You need to rest."

Ah, yes, now comes the avoidance that Cid was expecting. "I am restin'. Keep me company."

He still didn't move. "I need to shower."

Cid huffed, a laugh without energy. It brought a sting to his chest and he rubbed it. "Fine. But do me a favor and get some rest yerself."

Vincent's expression relaxed somewhat. He gave a nod, turned and left. Cid dropped his head back and watched his door close. _Got my work cut out for me…_

/

**AN:** Phew, all the drama *wipes brow*. Btw, I deleted that last kiss in the previous chapter. It was one too many.


	35. Layers

**Journey**

/

It hadn't taken him long to fall asleep; it was about midnight anyway. He dreamed of space, of millions of stars winking at him, teasing him from their unfathomable distance. He tried to reach for them but the rocket exploded, sending him surging through empty nothingness, traveling further from the planet but no closer to the stars. Just when he thought he would be lost in space forever a hand gripped his bare one, and he found himself face to face with Vincent. His face was sharp, clear, yet the air around him was distorted and fuzzy. Cid couldn't focus on it, yet he was certain there was something behind Vincent, two large objects originating from his back. He tugged him closer, his eyes glowing like two brilliant red stars of their own, and for a while the lure of space was forgotten. Vincent guided him higher towards a ball of bright energy, and just as he reached out to touch it something brought him out from the dark recesses of his dream, and his visions faded.

His eyes were closed, but as he became more aware he realized someone was carefully peeling away the gauze on his chest. Cid smelled something tantalizing. Shampoo. Clean, scented shampoo. A droplet of cool water fell onto his stomach and it took all his newly woken restraint not to react.

He heard the tearing of a package and a second later a new, soft sheet was taped across his wound. An ungloved hand smoothed it down carefully, gently. The contact sent tingles through Cid's body. His shirt was slowly tugged back down, the cold metal of the gauntlet touching his skin. Cid was amazed how acute his other senses became when he chose to rely on them. He could hear the quiet sound of leather moving and feel the barely perceptible touch of breath on his arm.

The hands retreated, and for a few seconds there was nothing but silence. Leather shifted once again and a gentle finger brushed back a strand of hair from his temple. Cid decided he had enjoyed the sightless experience long enough, and reached up to place his hand across Vincent's, stilling it on his cheekbone. He opened his eyes and smiled. Vincent's bandana and cape were missing, and the collar of his leather was undone, allowing a teasing glimpse of his collarbone. His damp hair curtained his face, clean and sleek, and he looked utterly gorgeous.

"Thanks," Cid murmured. He raised his other hand to the back of Vincent's hair, unable to resist drawing him down and pressing their lips together. Vincent hesitated for a moment, but responded sedately, warm and intimate. He tasted of faint soap and water. When Cid pulled away he ran his fingers through the gunman's hair. It was slick and silky with moisture, and when he did it again Vincent's eyelids lowered ever so slightly, lulled by the sensation. He probably had no idea how sexy that was. "How long've I been asleep?"

"Barely an hour," Vincent replied. His voice rolled through the air, suave and soothing.

There were still a few hours before arrival in Cosmo Canyon then. Cid sifted his fingers through the man's long hair again, repeating the act. "More time to sleep." He observed the reaction his ministrations were having on Vincent, delighted that either he didn't want to still Cid's hand or couldn't. "Rest with me."

Vincent forced his eyes open, his guard creeping back onto his exposed face. "I should return to my cabin."

Cid's fingers combed the length of hair, from crown to tips. "Rest here."

The gunman blinked slowly, placidly. "I shouldn't…"

Lowering his hand from the addicting feel of silk, Cid pushed his luck a little more and guided Vincent's jaw down for a second, unhurried kiss. Damn, so perfect. He released him and settled back into his pillow comfortably. "Rest somewhere, at least." Cid gave a lopsided-grin and closed his eyes. He felt Vincent hover a few seconds longer, and then his presence withdrew, and he left the cabin. Cid sighed softly, and willed himself to sleep.

/

The next time he awoke someone was nudging him gently. It took effort to bring himself back, to rise through the contented darkness, and when he did he cracked his eyes open to find a pair of deep brown pair looking down at him.

Tifa placed a finger on her lips as Cid shuffled onto his elbows. "We're approaching Cosmo Canyon," she whispered.

Cid frowned. "Why the hell're yer whisperin'?" He hushed back.

She smiled, a secret, joyful curl of her lips, and motioned with her eyes.

Cid looked over his shoulder at the other side of his bed. There lay Vincent, blissfully unaware and asleep, breathing deeply. Granted, he was as far away from Cid on the large bed as possible, but he had _chosen_ to rest beside him, and this nugget of improvement sent Cid's heart soaring to the moon and back. He gestured at Tifa and she backed away as he carefully stood, trying his damnest to prevent shifting the mattress. He slid into his boots and hobbled to the door with Tifa's help, casting a look back at his sleeping companion before leaving the cabin.

A safe distance away Tifa spoke. "That confirms it."

"What?" Cid questioned.

She slid a side-long smile at him. "That he trusts you."

Her words sort of shocked Cid a bit. "Trust? Nah, that's puttin' it too strongly."

Tifa shook her head. "Oh, not at all. Have you ever looked into the eyes of a man who had lost everything, including himself? When he woke from that coffin he wouldn't even turn his back on us. We were as good as the enemy as far as he was concerned." She paused to watch Cid's face. "You know then, that someone like that would never lower his guard for anyone. It is too ingrained, too instinctive. Unless he _trusts_ you."

Cid had found no problem extending _his_ trust to Vincent, but he hadn't really thought of receiving it back. Vincent had too many issues for it to be a possibility so soon, and Cid had accepted that because he had never expected otherwise. But what Tifa had said sounded right… Did Vincent really trust him?

"Whatever you're doing, keep doing it," Tifa smiled. "That's one man who needs a friend."

Cid studied her face. She was genuinely happy about the discovery. Hell, _Cid_ was. But he was planning to be more than a friend to Vincent.

She took him to the infirmary before the bridge, fooling him into a check-up with Thomas. The medic was pleased the bandage had been changed on his chest wound, but Cid had to endure a much less enjoyable dressing on his leg. After which, Tifa helped him to the bridge.

"Captain, we've received permission to tether inside the canyon's boundaries," Berto announced from the helm.

Cid nodded, watching the red rock of the canyon tower around them, throwing the airship into shadow from the morning sun. "Take us in, nice and easy."

He watched with Shera and Avalanche (save Vincent) as the _Highwind_ met its allocated stop, and listened with half an ear as his crew called out ship statues. His mind was back in his cabin, wishing he could have watched Vincent sleep. For such a trivial concept, it carried a very important connotation.

"What're you smiling at?" Barret's voice broke his thoughts.

Cid blinked back. "Eh, nothin'. Let's get goin'." He caught sight of Red's tail bounding from the bridge.

"Should you be walking about?"

Cid waved him off. "I'm fine, ain't gonna stop me." And he hobbled out after Red.

Unfortunately Thomas collared him before he could escape the ship, brandishing a pair of crutches at him. "At least use these! If you continue to apply weight to that leg it will never heal."

Cid refused. "Our cure materia's almost at a good level, I'll just zap it when it's ready."

"Yeaaah, no it's not," Yuffie popped her head around the corridor corner. When he glared at her she stuck out her tongue. Shera, who was waiting for Cid, tittered at their antics.

A gloved hand took the crutches from Thomas and Cid found himself face to face with Vincent, decked back up in his cape and bandana, dressed and armed. He held out the offending objects with a meaningful gleam in his eyes.

"I saved your life," Vincent began, bargaining chip ready. "Repay me by using these." When Cid narrowed his eyes the gunman to added, "_three_ times."

Somewhere out of sight Yuffie and Barret snickered. Shera said nothing.

Cid snatched the crutches from Vincent. "Fine." Not many people could captivate Cid and then piss him off in the same minute. But that just increased his appreciation of Vincent's hidden qualities – and then _that_ pissed Cid off because he couldn't begrudge him for it. _Gah!_

Thomas' eyebrows had disappeared to the top of his forehead. "It's like I've witnessed a miracle…"

Cid snarled comically and stormed (hopped angrily) down the corridor. He could feel the sneers of his teammates behind him. When he was down on the earthen ground he aggressively shoved both crutches under his arms and took the weight off his aching leg. It did hurt like a bitch, but Cid's pride was sore now, too. However, when he glanced at Vincent as he fell in step, his sour temper eased off significantly. Vincent's eyes were alight with a smile, glancing at him from their corners. Well, damn if that didn't just 180 Cid's mood.

"Hurry, hurry," Red called from ahead of them, already many steps above on the carved stone staircase that led to the settlement in the canyon.

They entered the town past the gateman guarding the entrance. He recognized most of them, including Cid, and permitted their way.

"You've been here before?" Cloud asked, having noticed the recognition on the sentry's face.

"Of course," Cid answered, gazing up at the canyon. "There's more experts on space livin' here than anywhere. I came here to study a couple of times, and then when I had the _Highwind_ I was able to visit freely."

"You studied here?" Yuffie asked. "How come you never saw Red?"

Cid shrugged. "Never crossed paths." He glanced over his shoulder. "Hey, Shera – told yer I'd show yer this place sometime."

She looked up at the impressive structures, adjusting her glasses, and smiled. "Yes, you did, Captain."

The team followed the fiery tail of their four-legged friend through the canyon up along a series of neatly carved steps that weaved in and out of stone chambers and passageways. Locals gave acknowledging nods or waves. Cid had never hated stairs as much as did now. He tucked both crutches under one arm and suffered up unaided. A few minutes later, in the depths of the canyon, they came to the observatory; an area Cid was familiar with, although it had been a while since he last visited. There were three floors to the observatory, accessible by ladder only. On the top floor was the telescope that had one of the most powerful lenses on the planet, and through which Cid had helped catalogue numerous stellar systems. However, their destination was not up but rather through the wooden door on the right that Red had left open. Through they went into the planetarium.

"Hoho ho," came the unmistakable laugh of Bugenhagen. He embraced Nanaki and drew back to observe the team file into the room. He was a strange old man. Cid had always wondered _how_ old he was - because he seemed ancient yet always lively. And for some reason Cid had never known, he floated atop a huge materia-like orb. Did he have legs? "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" Bugenhagen's face fell onto Cid. "You're that Highwind boy! My, how you've grown!" He gave a jolly laugh. "You were wearing that jacket the last time I saw you, years ago. I still remember. What _have_ you done to your leg, hm?" It was as his eyes were panning across the sea of familiar faces that the recognition disappeared when they landed on someone. The laugher died away. "What are _you_?" He breathed.

Cid followed his direction. He was looking at Vincent.

Red stepped beside him. "This is Vincent, grandfather," he introduced. "Like me, he was captured by Hojo…"

Bugenhagen never blinked. "Oh my boy, what has that madman done to you…?" He whispered.

Cid frowned. He knew the old man had acute senses, hell he was as insightful and sharp as anyone Cid had met. But could he _sense_ the gunman's powers?

Bugenhagen reached towards Vincent, who stepped back warily. The hand hovered and dropped slowly. "There is something that should not belong inside you…"

"Grandfather…"

The old man gave Vincent a sad, troubled look before reluctantly turning from him. "I apologize. Tell me, what have you all come to me for?"

Cid glanced back at Vincent, surprised how easily the subject was dropped. No one liked to draw out Vincent's tragic 'acquirements' any more than they had to, but still…

"Ah, you have lost your way," Bugenhagen surmised before anyone could answer. "When that happens, we each have to take a good long look at ourselves. There is always something in the deepest reaches of our heart. Something buried, or something forgotten…" He cast his wise eyes around each face, lingering on some longer. He paused. "You are missing one of your own… I felt her passing, but have yet to adjust to her absence in your group… Such a shame."

"Aerith," Tifa said softly.

Bugenhagen nodded. "She was a smart young woman."

"…Then why'd she run off on her own?" Cloud muttered, shaking his head and turning away. It had evidently been on his mind, unvoiced. "She knew she didn't have a chance against Sephiroth…"

"Perhaps that was not her intent, hm?"

Cloud lifted his head. "What do you mean?"

Bugenhagen was silent for a moment. "Maybe you had all better return to that place."

"The Forgotten City?" Barret questioned.

The old man nodded. "Yes. There is something you may have missed. And I will accompany you."

Red perked up. "You're coming with us?"

"Yes. Even I want to see the outside world from time to time. I may be old, but my sense of adventure never wavered." He gave his unusual laugh again. "I can't wait to travel in that airship. We should leave now, while the day is starting." As he gestured to the door he eyed Vincent once more. Something very strange glistened in his aged eyes, something that was familiar; Cid was sure he had seen it elsewhere – Ah! He _had_ seen that look before. It was the look of someone who could see beyond human perceptions. It had been in the eyes of Sephiroth…

Barret was talking; Cid heard the mention of the Huge Materia. He pulled himself from his thoughts in time to hear his team discussing what to do with them. Bugenhagen suggested storing them in his planetarium for safe keeping, but Cid didn't think anywhere was safer than his airship – it flies, for crying out loud, who could creep aboard? But it was decided.

When they filed out of the room Cid called up Holoski on his communicator. "We're on our way back, plus one passenger. But do me a favor and bring all the Huge Materia to the gate." Holoski confirmed his orders. When Cid was finished with the conversation he tucked the little device back, giving a nod to his awaiting teammates.

/

With the Huge Materia safely stored in Cosmo Canyon, and Bugenhagen floating around the airship in admiration and guided by Shera, they were once again on a long course, back towards the last place they wanted to go. Firstly, though, they were dropping Shera back in Rocket Town, where Cid could restock the pantry, too. Avalanche (minus the usual) congregated to the galley to pass their time, although many looked tired and Cid wondered if they had managed to get enough sleep last night. He took the time in the next hour asking his crew to double up so they could volunteer their cabins. If Avalanche were going to be using the _Highwind_ so much it made sense to sort them out some rooms.

Kejon caught him before he could wander away and handed him an L shaped data pad. Cid took it, recognizing the design as the recorder from the escape pod. Now he was torn between heading straight for his cabin to analyze it, and finding Vincent. His latter option had less conviction, because he knew the man needed his space, and it was important that Cid knew when to leave him be. But after the things Bugenhagen had said, Cid wanted to be near him, if only to be a silent, friendly reminder than he was still human, no matter what anyone could sense in him. Cid sighed. Would this drive a wedge in the development between them?

He headed to his cabin, still using the crutches despite his loathing of them. Inside he tossed them and the data pad on the bed in favor of a shower, and for the next fifteen minutes he soaked beneath the hot water, easing his body but stinging his injured leg and a sore chest. He had to remove the bandages after toweling off, getting another glimpse of his shin. _Ugh_. He ignored his torn and ragged clothes and wrapped the towel around his waist, then hopped out of his little bathroom. He stopped. On his bed sat Vincent.

"Vince." Cid was surprised to see him there.

With his arms on his thighs and his hair obscuring his face, Vincent seemed pensive, to put it lightly. He lifted his head and looked across at Cid. "I'm sorry, I knew your room code."

"Somethin' up?" Cid asked, hobbling closer.

Vincent turned his eyes on the wall opposite, deliberately looking away from Cid. "You said I could seek your company if ever…" He trailed off, and his gaze fell.

Something incredibly raw touched Cid's core. Vincent, stone-hearted and emotionally-fucked up Vincent, had fought past his defense systems, his isolation-instincts, and had come to Cid for company. Bugenhagen's words had gotten to him.

"I did," Cid affirmed. He sat down next to him on the bed, extending his injured leg out. He picked up the data stick from his sheets and wiggled it in midair. "Good timin', too, I was about to go through this. Wanna see what the escape pod recorded while we were in space?" He gave a Highwind grin.

Vincent looked inquisitively at the L shaped device. Although he didn't answer verbally, his expression was good enough.

Cid held up the data pad and thumbed one of the button sensors along the side stem. A thin, holographic screen unfolded between the control margins, and they found themselves looking at a paused video of space. Cid touched another button and reset the recorded data to the beginning.

"The escape pod had a video recorder installed into the outer hull, along with several other data collectors," Cid explained, glancing at Vincent's intrigued features. "So did the rocket, but we ain't gettin' that one back. Anyway, this was programed to record when the pod was detached. This is the footage."

He pressed a sensor button and the video came to life without sound. The edge of the escape pod was constantly visible on the bottom, but as the shuttle rotated on its way from the rocket they were given a spectacular view of the stars.

Cid pointed at a cluster of bright lights. "That's the Shiva constellation," he said. "Yer can only see these four bright ones from behind our atmosphere… but look how many surround them." He stared in fascination, completely enthralled. "So many stars we can't see with the naked eye." The video footage moved again as the escape pod shifted, and the rocket came into view briefly before the entire screen shone white. The impact. After a few seconds the black void of space returned and so did the image of Meteor. "Goodbye Shinra number 26," Cid murmured.

"What is that?" Vincent asked, pointing out an anomaly as the camera slowly spun away from Meteor.

"That," Cid said, glancing at him with a proud smile. "Is the Venus Nebula. Recently discovered, and officially named by yours truly."

Vincent eyed him curiously. "You found it?"

"Yeah," Cid exclaimed, grinning. "For all our technology our telescopes are pretty weak, because, y'know, barely any ambition for the exploration of space, and proposin' a budget for upgradin' equipment is like pullin' teeth. That nebula's been there for millions of years, so when I say I found it, I mean I noticed it first. And damn, is she a beauty. Have yer ever seen a picture of a nebula?"

Vincent shook his head, watching Cid with interest. "I'm not even sure what a nebula is."

Cid shifted on the bed so he could turn to Vincent more. "It's basically a vast cloud of dust and ionized gasses," he began. "But the patterns they form, the colors we've discovered so far, they're amazin'." He looked back at the video, but it had run on from the Venus Nebula, and was now showing the pod's descent towards the planet. It played a few seconds of the burning atmosphere before the camera had melted and stopped recording. Cid pushed a button and the video gave way to a screen of graphs and information. "Radiation was as expected. But our shielding protected us…" He noticed the time log. "That whole space episode lasted barely two hours. Two hours for somethin' I've been waitin' _years_ for."

"But two hours more than never."

Cid looked at Vincent and lifted an eyebrow, trying hard not to smile at the man's positive spin when he couldn't seem to apply it to himself. Cid relented and said, "True. Can't really argue when yer put it like that."

Vincent's eyes flickered across him, studying. "You have so many layers, Cid Highwind."

"Does that surprise yer?"

Something pleasant crossed Vincent's face. "No. It is… nice to see."

Cid tilted his head inquisitively. "Seen yer share of shallow people, huh?"

"Yes. What I remember of them," he added, looking away at the wall.

Cid watched him. He had gathered from a past conversation that Vincent had lost parts of his memory due to that bastard Hojo, and his latest words reinforced his suspicions.

"However, they _were_ the easiest characters to deal with," Vincent continued. He glanced back at Cid from the corner of his eye.

"Yer sayin' I'm not easy to deal with?" Cid grinned.

Vincent's eyes twinkled but he didn't reply.

Enjoying the man's lightened mood, Cid was reluctant to leave the bed. He had forgotten he was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist and needed to dress. Not that he didn't mind giving Vincent a show, but there was only so long a wet towel could remain comfortable. Cid dropped the data stick on the bed and rose.

"So, what do yer think we'll find in the Forgotten City?" Cid asked as he limped to the chest of draws, searching for clean clothes. He found only a clean pair of undies. _Damnit._

"I don't know," Vincent answered. "But I suspect Bugenhagen knows."

Cid grabbed his torn pants from the floor of the little ensuit and dressed. "Let's hope it's somethin' good," he said, hanging the towel to dry. He moved back into the room and flopped down on the bed, propping his injured leg on the mattress.

"We should redress that," Vincent stated, rising to his long legs to retrieve the small med kit Cid kept.

Again with the ridiculous warm fuzzy feelings – Cid wasn't complaining but he was starting to think there was a deeply repressed side of him that waited his whole life to bond with someone. Just because Vincent had used the term 'we' it was starting to rear its (ugly?) head.

Sitting on the edge of the bed by Cid's leg, Vincent proceeded to wrap the wound, silent as he worked. Instead of watching his actions, Cid gazed at his face, realizing he had memorized it already. How could a man look so perfect?

"Thanks," Cid said when he had finished, sitting up. However, Vincent put a hand on his shoulder and pushed him back down, pressing a gauze patch across his chest.

"This should be the last time I change this."

"Well, I seem to attract accidents and shit so maybe it won't be."

Silence claimed the air between them. Vincent seemed content just to look at him, as though figuring things out, gaining answers from Cid eyes. His hand lingered on the gauze. It took a great amount of restraint for the pilot to resist closing the gap between them. Vincent had sought his company, if he wanted anything else _he_ would have to initiate it. Cid couldn't push too much.

A knock from his door sounded through the cabin, and whatever potential conversation that might have followed died. Vincent's hand retreated.

"Gngh," Cid grunted, hauling himself into a sitting position and made his way to the door. On the other side was Shera.

"Captain, one of the new crewmen told me you had the data stick," she said, pushing her glasses further onto her nose. "Have you watched it al – oh," she cut herself off, catching a glimpse of Vincent in the room. "Sorry, I didn't know you had company."

"I was just leaving," Vincent said, putting the med kit away and sweeping past them both into the corridor. He gave a quick glance at Cid before he disappeared.

Disappointed, Cid hobbled back to his bed, leaving Shera to step inside. He held the data stick out for her. "I've just watched it, you can have it."

Shera took it, but her brown eyes were on him. "Your new friends are quite different, aren't they?" She said.

Cid smirked. "That's puttin' it lightly. But yeah, they're a weird bunch. But damn if they ain't determined."

Shera smiled. "You've changed."

"Eh?"

She nodded, sitting down next to him on the bed. "I noticed it straight away. You're not tied down, you're no longer waiting for something to come to you like you were back home. It was dragging you down. But now… you're part of something, and it's changed you. For the better."

"After the shit we've been through, I ain't surprised," Cid said, more to himself than Shera. But what she had said made him wonder. Had he really changed that noticeably?

"You would never have taken those crutches off _anybody_ before," she said, giving him a knowing smile.

Cid paused. No, he wouldn't have.

"You seem good friends with that red eyed man…"

He blinked. Of course she would be able to tell. She had lived around him the past few years, witnessing his moods and tempers. He had shouted at her often… what a dick.

"I've never seen you look at anyone like that before."

He snapped out of his self-hating thoughts and looked at her brown eyes. "Whaddya mean?"

She considered her words, glancing at the ceiling for them. "It's like… I'm not sure, like he's been your friend for a long time, but..."

"He's saved my life more than once this past week," Cid found himself saying.

Shera looked shocked. "What happened? Oh, Captain, were you throwing yourself into danger?"

Cid scrunched his nose. "No. Not on purpose."

"Now I'm worried," she said, adopting what Cid liked to call the Shera pout. It was an expression of concern she wore often. "Please be careful."

"I think Vince's got my back," he smiled to himself.

Her eyes narrowed inquisitively at him, but she said no more on the subject. After a few minutes of catching up, she took the data stick with her and left to view it. Cid dropped back onto his pillows and let his mind wander. It took him straight back to Vincent.

/


	36. Holy

**Journey**

**AN:** I'm a bad author, made you wait a long time again. Hope this chapter doesn't disappoint you, it gave me a lot of trouble. More notes at the end.

/

Their stop at Rocket Town was a quick one. Most of the crew pitched in to help bring food aboard from the local store while Cid took a quick trip to his home to change into clean, untorn clothes. To be on the safe side he stuffed some extras into a duffle bag and when he returned to the ship everyone was ready to depart. Shera was reluctant to leave, having found her time back onboard the _Highwind_ enjoyable.

"Your friend Tifa was telling me what all of you are planning to do," Shera said to Cid as they gathered on the ground beneath the airship, watching the crew lug the last of their stock aboard. Avalanche and Bugenhagen stood patiently on the outer deck, waiting to wave Shera goodbye. "You won't take any dangerous risks, will you?"

"Shera, we're tryin' to save the fuckin' _planet_," Cid started. "This whole mission thing is a dangerous risk."

"Well, promise me you'll be careful," she pressed, blinking her brown eyes pleadingly at him. "You've got the _Tiny Bronco_ to repair. Who's going to do _that_ if you die?"

Cid struggled to contain a laugh. Shera excelled at some technical aspects more than Cid. She was a very intelligent scientist, whose work had made the Shinra space rocket possible. Together they had once been a brilliant duo. He was sure she wouldn't find repairing the _Tiny Bronco_ that difficult.

"Fine, woman, I promise," he said, propping his free hand on his hip. "Besides… I've got some apologizin' to do."

"Don't think about _that_," she scowled, but before he could reaffirm, she smiled. "That's a terrible incentive to return home for. You hate apologizing."

He gave a rough, lop-sided grin at her, the first in a long time, but it faded quickly. "Shera, why the hell did yer put up with my shit all these years?"

She tilted her head at him, a warm smile reassuring him. "Because you've always been a kind man, despite your temper. You hide behind your gruff exterior, but I always saw how much you cared…. I knew one day you would be called for something great again, and I wanted to make sure that kindness inside you didn't fade into bitterness. Bitterness I would have caused. I understood that I was an outlet for your anger, but it proved that you still cared." She placed a slender hand on his arm. "I didn't want you to become a lonely, miserable man without hope. So I stayed with you."

Cid couldn't have felt more undeserving. He shuffled on his feet. "Damnit, Shera. Why'd yer have to be so nice?"

She squeezed his arm. "Take care, Captain." She reached up and kissed his cheek. "Don't lose those friends of yours." Then she turned to wave at Avalanche above them as she walked away.

Cid watched her leave, wondering if he would actually survive this suicidal endeavor and make it back to Rocket Town. Just in case, he bid it a silent farewell, telling it to look after Shera.

Once back onboard the airship they resumed a flight path to the Forgotten City. Cid watched his little town disappear into the distance from the outer deck. Without the rocket it didn't look like his town any more. He hutched his duffle bag further onto his shoulder and followed Avalanche and Bugenhagen back inside, limping along behind.

Vincent had not been with the others to watch Shera leave, so Cid assumed he was in his quarters. However when Cid knocked on his door a minute later, taking out a book from his bag that he had picked up at home, he received no answer. He tried again, but no luck. _Maybe he's grabbing a drink._ _Won't stop me, though,_ he thought, punching the release for the door. It beeped at him, denying him access. A smile grew on Cid's lips. He hadn't given or shown Vincent how to apply a code for this room, and yet the crafty bastard had somehow managed to assign one.

"Yer gonna do just fine in the future," Cid commented aloud, keying in his override code. The door opened and he peeked in carefully. He didn't want to be mistaken and Vincent was actually asleep inside.

The room was empty. Good. Cid set the large, heavy book in direct view on the bed, then quickly left and locked the door. It would be a nice surprise for when the gunman returned. And it would pass the time they had left to the Forgotten City.

Cid returned to his own room and dropped onto his bed, pulling out rolled up designs and his stationary tools to continue on them. If he was going to be traveling all over the planet he wanted something to keep him occupied. Maybe for his next plane project he would name it the _Shera_; that sounded like a good name. He spread his plans out across the sheets and lost himself in his work.

/

Many hours later Berto announced their arrival. Cid checked the time, surprised by how fast it had flown by. He had a crick in his neck for looking down too long, but it had been worth it. He rolled his papers back up, stepped into his boots, grabbed his weapon and left his room for the bridge. From there it was a short descent into the valley where the Forgotten City lay hidden.

"At least we don't have to go through the Sleeping Forest this time," Yuffie said.

As they filed out of the bridge, Cid leaned over Jo's workstation, looking at the _Highwind_'s instruments. They had been picking up strange readings since they arrived; no doubt the Ancient City's doing. He told Holoski to keep an eye on it and followed his team out to the outer deck. From there they left the ship and found themselves beyond the border of the Sleeping Forest. They began walking, not too keen to revisit the place that had taken one of their own from them.

As they trekked across the valley that would lead them there, Cid felt the familiar presence of Vincent fall into step with him. He had deliberately strayed to the back of the pack for this reason.

"The book is very interesting," the gunman said, eyes forward. "I lost time reading it."

Cid swung a side-ways smile at him. "Amazin', huh? Now yer know more about space than most people."

Vincent met his eyes. "Indeed. I understand your passion for nebulae; they present beautiful imagery."

Cid merely smiled wider. What he wanted to say as a follow up to that was just too corny.

It took them all almost a half hour to reach the Forgotten City. It awaited their return in the bright sunlight of the afternoon, deceptively enchanting and intriguing. The shell-like structures shimmered in the rays of light, as though there were tiny jewels embedded in them.

When they came upon the junction in the path, Red's grandfather paused and gazed down the left one thoughtfully. After considering it he made his way along, evidently drawn there. Avalanche looked as one at the path straight ahead. The one that led to the ancient city. It was an unpleasant reminder, and they could not help but gaze sadly at the treetops.

They followed Bugenhagen along the windy left path. It took them further out than the others had, along a small rocky drop and up to a hidden building, concealed in the shadows of the cliff behind it. The design was different to the shell-like habitats; it more resembled modern architecture, but built from the very stone around it. Bugenhagen floated past with merely a curious look, continuing to the end of the path as it disappeared into the mouth of a cave.

Cid cast his eyes across the distance they had traveled to where the tops of the shell homes reached to the sky. In his foreground vision, Vincent was surveying the view, also, keen eyes studying the strange land. His simple mannerisms stole Cid's attentions, and he couldn't help but stare. The sun beamed down onto his hair, catching stray strands like threads of light. Cid wanted to run his hands through it again so badly. He had never really found hair spectacular. There had been one redhead in his life who'd had amazingly vivid locks, but unfortunately that had been the most remarkable thing about her. Vincent's hair seemed so much more fascinating. At times it was messy, as if Vincent couldn't give two shits about it – or, most likely, had forgotten long hair required grooming. And other times it seemed as though he had neatened it purposefully, and it was smooth and tangle-free. But it was the strange little spikes that drew most of Cid's curiosity. Did Vincent shape them that way every morning?

The thought made him chuckle aloud and he received a curious red-eyed frown for it.

"Nothin'," he answered, grinning to himself. But even as he looked away Vincent didn't. The pleasant weight of his eyes lingered on Cid's face, and once again it felt like a tangible touch, a physical caress. Yet when he was drawn back to Vincent's face he was looking elsewhere. Sneaky bastard.

Inside the cave the temperature dropped as they stepped from the sunshine and Cid's eyes took their sweet time adjusting to the darkness. Ahead, something glowed, beckoning them forward, and they stepped from the short passageway into a huge chamber. The Ancients had carved pillars and steps into the rock, and above the deep pit in the center was a small walkway, at the end of which was the source of the light.

"Wow," Yuffie awed, her voice echoing against the walls.

Cid's eyes scoured the chamber, absorbing the sight of old structures and the centuries of neglect. A small opening in the ceiling opened out to the sky, like an ancient skylight most likely for observing the stars. A spiral staircase descended into the pit before them, and as he stepped closer he cast a look down. Crumbled stone littered the floor below, yet no wildlife could be seen, no vines or green vegetation had crept in. The air was damp and cool, sitting on Cid's tongue like a heavy taste.

"Grandfather," Red's voice rebounding faintly.

Bugenhagen floated clear across the gap to the platform hovering above the pit, towards the object of light. The team made their way carefully on the path around the edge, single file, until they came to the walkway in the center. It was a narrow strip of stone connected to a circular platform. Cloud and Tifa trod carefully, and when no one else made to follow, Cid went after, more curious of the bright light than the long drop below. He stared at the strange glowing object, entranced by its radiance. It was a crystal, nestled on the center of a coral-like branch, almost alien in appearance.

"This is…" Bugenhagen murmured to himself, his gaze focused intently on the crystal. "The energy swirling around here… it's incredible. Knowledge of the Ancients…"

As he fell into silence again, seemingly listening to something they couldn't hear. Cid glanced across at the rest of the team, and as he expected, Vincent's attention was on the crystal, too. His senses could detect something other worldly, but Cid knew he couldn't interpret it. Aerith had been able to decipher whatever _it_ was, but Vincent wasn't a Cetra. Still, his 'listening' face was endearing. His eyes flittered and stopped, switching from air to air as his head tilted slightly, sensing the mystical energy around him. He was just so utterly fascinating and painstakingly gorgeous. Sometimes his eyebrows would furrow slightly, and he would blink studiously. But as soon as someone near him shifted his eyes snapped from their imaginary target and he became alert, like the trained Turk he had once been. Cid could spend hours watching him, enjoying the little flurries of fondness that occurred each time he looked at the man. Fondness, because Cid wasn't ready to accept it as anything stronger just yet.

"It's telling me…" Bugenhagen began, studying the light as though he could see something within its core. Cid and Vincent's eyes met for a split second before looking to the old man. "The knowledge is telling me that the planet is in the midst of a devastating crisis. A crisis beyond human power… when the time comes, we must search."

Cid frowned, looking around at the other confused faces. "Search for what?"

Bugenhagen lifted his gaze. "Holy."

"And that is…?"

"The ultimate white magic," the old man explained. "Magic that might be our one chance to stand against Meteor. Perhaps our last hope…" He trailed off as he listened, a hard line creasing his forehead. "It will rid all threats against the planet; Meteor, Weapons… perhaps even us."

"What?" Barret demanded. "Whaddya mean, us?"

Bugenhagen looked across at him. "Holy will protect the planet from anything that causes her harm."

Barret stared hard until a dawning expression crossed his face. "Humans."

Bugenhagen nodded. "We, as a race, have damaged this planet greatly. But only the planet can decide our fate. She knows what is best for her. Depending on this, Holy will make it all disappear."

Cid still couldn't wrap his head around the planet as a self-aware entity. It was strange to talk about it thinking and deciding. It was also very worrying.

"So if the planet decides humans are bad, we're gonna get wiped out?" Barret questioned, disbelieving. "All this, trying to save the planet from Sephiroth, it'll be for nothing?"

"Will it?" The old man asked. "If the planet deems us worthy of life, you will have saved her and humankind. If she doesn't, then at least the planet will still be alive and clean of threats."

Barret seemed shell-shocked. He shook his head, evidently unable to form a response that would achieve anything; he glared at the ground, new thoughts and new worries plaguing him. Cid pretty much felt the same. All this work they were going through to save the planet and the human race, only to be told they might all be wiped out anyway by the very world they were trying to protect.

Cloud had pushed past this shocker. "You said we have to search for Holy. How do we do that?"

"If it's going to destroy us do we _want_ to?" Yuffie called from stable ground.

"If it's the only chance we have, then yes," Tifa replied, though she looked unsure herself.

Bugenhagen looked to Cloud. "The White Materia. This magic allows communication with the planet herself, and only then can your message to save the planet be understood. When this happens the materia glows green."

"Where the hell do we find the White Materia?" Cid questioned.

"Aerith…" Cloud said slowly. He looked around at everyone. "Aerith told me she had the White Materia…"

Silence fell among them as realization hit.

"Can't we use those Huge Materias to help?" Yuffie broke the silence, a hopeful lilt to her voice.

Bugenhagen shook his head. "They cannot do what the White Materia can."

Cid threw up his hands. "Great, so what the hell do we do?"

There was a small, growing smile on Bugenhagen's face. He knew something. "You stay here for a moment, that is what you do," he said, and a second later floated across the pit to a flat area that seemed inaccessible by any other means. He disappeared behind a large, stone pillar.

"Grandfather, what are you doing?" Red called.

"I suspected this would be nearby," came the old man's voice.

What followed was the sound of a solid, stony mechanism interlocking, and the pillar of rock gave a tremble and began to sink into the ground, coughing up clouds of dust, accompanied by a deep rumble. Bugenhagen watched as the pillar settled into the floor and looked up at the ceiling.

"I think perhaps you should move away from the –"

His last words were literally drowned out as a torrent of water spilled from the hole in the ceiling, crashing down on the circular platform where Cloud, Tifa and Cid were still standing. They all gave a unanimous yelp and darted along the narrow walkway to the rest of the team.

"Couldn't yer have warned us _before_?" Cid yelled, wiping water from his face. He was soaked.

The old man chuckled as he floated back across, gaining amusement from their unfortunate shower. "My apologies. But look."

Cid watched, disgruntled, as the waterfall seemed to expand. Inside, the crystal glowed brightly, and from the center its power pushed away the water, creating a dry hollow around the platform.

"Since you three are already wet, step back inside to see," Bugenhagen told them, nodding in assurance. He floated along the walkway and into the circular waterfall.

Tifa, Cloud and Cid exchanged looks before glancing at the smirking faces of their teammates. Even Vincent's eyes appeared to be smirking, although only at Cid. The pilot shot him what he would deny was a pout before following the other two back along the walkway. Hunching their shoulders redundantly, they stepped through the wall of water and onto the dry platform.

"This is a screen to project an image upon," Bugenhagen informed them once they had entered. He was floating before the crystal patiently, gesturing to the wall of water behind it.

The crystal was shimmering with activity as a beam of light revealed a picture on the surface of the waterfall. Cid's eyebrows slowly rose as an image of Aerith appeared. It was the moment before she had died. Incredibly, this crystal was showing them a projection of the past, although _how,_ Cid didn't know. It shocked and amazed him, and he had no doubt that Cloud and Tifa felt the same.

Aerith's face was lowered, her expression peaceful – just as Cid recalled. But the horrific event that happened only a second later faded from play, and the immediate moment after appeared. They watched, fixated, as Aerith slowly pitched forward, her life leaving her once again in a replay none of them watched to watch. She fell from the focus of the image as her hair unraveled from her tie, and there, where it had always been during her short time with them, was the White Materia. It tumbled free through her locks and to the floor, rolling off the platform's edge where it bounced upon two small pillars before finally dropping into the water below. It sunk solemnly to the water's bed, where it pulsated with magical energy, glowing brightly despite the tragedy it had left above. But there was one detail they immediately noticed.

"It's green…" Cloud murmured, staring hard at the projection.

"Indeed," Bugenhagen agreed.

Tifa's large eyes drifted to Cloud. "She had already summoned Holy…"

Cloud looked down, something troubling his fair features even more. "When we were in Gongaga, she came to me in a dream… she told me she was the only one who could stop Sephiroth. I guess now I know what she meant…"

"But if she summoned Holy, why hasn't it _done_ anythin' yet?" Cid questioned, ignoring the bizarre dream-crashing mention; things were weird enough. "Shouldn't we have seen it?"

"Something is getting in its way," Bugenhagen said cryptically.

The three teammates looked at each other.

"Sephiroth."

It was a heavy realization. The very man they were trying to defeat was impeding their one good chance to stop Meteor. And Aerith had lost her life for them, they couldn't let her down. Which meant they had one course of action left to them, but… how do they stop a man who had the very power to block White Materia magic?

With nothing else to keep them there, the team made their way out of the cave and back to the _Highwind_. They discussed what they had seen, what Aerith had truly intended by running away from them, and reasons why she hadn't even confided in them. Why did she think she had to leave on her own? Why couldn't she have informed them all and journeyed to the Forgotten City together? Did she hope to save them the burden? Perhaps she thought it was her responsibility alone. Or maybe she knew her end was near, and had hoped they wouldn't witness it. They could only speculate.

The team had barely reached the airship when Cait Sith stopped abruptly on the ground below, drawing their attentions.

Yuffie bent down and poked him. Without his mog he seemed incomplete. "Hey, you okay?"

"I've just gained new information," Cait said with a sense of urgency. His little cat body was motionless, as though his controller was holding his breath. "You recall that the Junon canon disappeared?"

Assuming he was addressing them all, Cloud spoke for the team. "Yeah. What about it?" It seemed an odd time for the cat to bring this up.

"Rufus moved it," Cait replied. "He wants to destroy Sephiroth with it, but the canon was useless at Junon without the Huge Materia, the energy source. So he had it transported to the one place that could supply it with enormous amounts of power, of mako…"

Barret's breath hitched as he realized first. "Midgar."

The little cat nodded, paused, and tilted his head. He was focusing on something they couldn't hear. After a few seconds he spoke. "With the power of mako the shells will reach all the way to the northern crater…I've been assigned to adjust the power output to allow maximum energy flow…"

And of course, Cid assumed he was speaking as his controller; Cait would have a hell of a job trying to adjust anything half way across the world. "If they can get that bastard's barrier down we can _get_ to him."

Cait stirred suddenly, a sharp movement of surprise. "Weapon!" He said. "One of the Weapons has been sighted in the northern Costa Del Sol Sea."

"What's it doing?" Cloud demanded, stepping closer.

The robot shook his head. "Unconfirmed, waiting for reports."

"Great," Cid drawled. "Well, its sudden appearance can't be good. Let's get onboard and go check it out."

The team climbed onto the _Highwind_, and with a quick order from the Captain they were airborne. It was possible by the time they reached the Weapon's last location it would be long gone, but there was also every possibility that it might still be in the vicinity. Although, what they planned to do was still unknown; they would cross that bridge when they got there.

The three soaking team members decided to shed their sopping clothes. Fortunately for Cid, he had his extra clothes to fall back on, but Cloud and Tifa were forced to borrow medical scrubs from the infirmary. Cid left them there and limped away quickly before Thomas could bitch about his lack of crutches.

Inside his cabin, Cid removed his wet clothes and peeled the soggy, cold bandages from his chest and leg. Was there any point re-dressing them? Well, he sure couldn't wear pants comfortably without the material snagging his wound, so he would have to wrap that one up, but he could probably live without the chest dressing. Besides, it was practically Vincent's duty to redress that by now.

He chuckled to himself, recalling the gunman's words. _Last time to redress it my ass, I'm jinxed._ Cid had half-hoped Vincent would appear at his door and offer to bandage him back up, with a look of humor in his red eyes and a smile hiding behind his cape mantle. But he didn't. Vincent wouldn't deliberately come to him and offer again, and Cid couldn't go to him just to patch up his boo-boo again; how juvenile. So he dried himself off completely and rummaged for the last gauze bandage in his med kit. He hung his wet clothes to dry and threw on a pair of worn jeans and a dark t-shirt. Luckily his boots had remained dry.

When he entered the bridge a few minutes later, most of the team were already there, hanging around the dome with drinks in hand. Cid couldn't blame them, watching the view fly by was an experience he still thoroughly enjoyed.

"You're still limping," Barret pointed out. "Where're ya crutches?"

Cid couldn't actually remember. "Dunno. Any word from the cat?"

Cloud, in his white infirmary garments, shook his head. "No, but if one of the Weapons has appeared trouble isn't far behind. I heard what happened at Mideel."

"Do you think that Weapon brought up the Lifestream to kill the human population there?" Tifa asked, cupping her glass. "It's scary to think they have the power to control it like that."

"Fuck, I hope not," Cid crossed his arms over his chest contemplatively. "But that makes sense." At least it's a better speculation than thinking it had come to Mideel to check out Vincent. Could it be that his Galian form was somehow connected to the Weapons? Or was it something else?

Cait Sith burst onto the bridge. "Weapon appears to be heading towards Midgar!" He announced, dashing towards them.

Barret stood up from his slouch on the railing. "It's gonna destroy the mako reactors," he gave an educated guess. "If those things're wiping out whatever hurts the planet, then Midgar'll be next on the list."

"Rufus can launch a few missiles at it, right?" Tifa asked. "The one at Juno was destroyed by the cannon."

Cait shook his head uncertainly. "I don't know, the cannon isn't properly installed, it's taking time to integrate the power systems with the reactors. And if these reports are accurate, Weapon will reach Midgar in about an hour if it doesn't dawdle. Lucky we got a good scout system, huh?"

Barret stiffened. "If it attacks Midgar, hundreds of people'll be killed." He paused. "And Marlene!"

Cait waved his arms in a calming gesture. "Don't worry, she's safe with Aerith's mother."

Cid's eyebrow cocked. Aerith's mother? Did the poor woman even know her daughter was gone?

Barret relaxed visibly, but he couldn't wipe all the worry from his face. "I hope she'll be alright…"

"Well, so long as she's safe, right, who cares?" Cait said, however there was a belligerent quality to his words that had everyone looking at him. _Meow…_ "I've wanted to say this for a while, since I joined you guys. But what about the people who died in your attacks on the reactors? Did you care for them, too?"

Cid was surprised by Cait's verbal aggression. But he perked up, deciding some entertainment wouldn't go amiss right now.

Barret looked away guiltily and his demeanor shifted. "We did what we did for the good of the planet. Gotta expect a few casualties…" He didn't sound convinced of himself.

"A few?" Cait echoed. He was obviously calling Avalanche out on their less than commendable acts, but he was using a neutral tone, carefully screening his controller's emotions. He wasn't outright accusing. "What might be a few to you is everything to them."

"Yeah, you've _made_ your point," Barret growled tersely. "I don't wanna hear that shit from someone in Shinra."

"Cait, Barret knows what he did," Tifa said gravely, a heavy weight in her words. "What _we_ did in Midgar. We haven't forgotten…"

Cid was damn curious. They had evidently caused unintentional deaths somewhere along their journey, in the name of Avalanche, and it evidently weighed on them. Considering they had gone through countless Shinra troops without a second thought, he was surprised they were dwelling on this.

"Stop," Cloud ordered. "This isn't the time to be bringing that up. We will never forget what we did, but right now we have a Weapon to stop."

"If we can," Barret muttered, turning his haunted eyes to the view outside.

Cloud looked thoughtful. "Only one way to find out."

A smile wormed its way across Cid's face. That kid was something. He had changed since his revival from the Lifestream incident – if only a little. He seemed more _there_, more aware of the people around him and more observant, instead of just a pretty boy with a blank stare.

The _Highwind_ adjusted course to head towards Midgar, which they would reach within two hours. They just hoped the Weapon was a slow mover.

/

"Ah, Cid!"

In the corridor minutes later, Cid turned to the sound of Bugenhagen calling him. He balanced on one foot and waited for the old man to float closer.

"Your ship is truly amazing, I didn't get chance to tell you before," Bugenhagen said, halting before the pilot. "The view from the outer deck is fantastic."

Cid lifted an eyebrow. "The outer deck is locked durin' flight."

Bugenhagen's eyes twinkled mischievously. "You forget I'm not entirely incompetent with technical systems."

"I remember," Cid said.

The old man gestured for them to walk (and float). "I wanted to talk to you about something," he began as they moved. "But I don't quite know how to begin tactfully, therefore I will come right out and say it." He paused a beat before reaching his topic. "Be careful of your red-eyed friend, Cid. I sense a great, strange power emanating from him that I do not understand. And that worries me greatly. There is something non-human about him."

Cid stopped walking. "I already know that," he said, earning a surprised eyebrow. "But I don't have to be careful of Vince, 'cause I trust him, and he's _more_ than earned it." Cid hadn't meant to sound so aggressive in his defending, but somehow the tone spilled out.

The old man blinked inquisitively and studied Cid's face. "Is that so?" He asked, genuinely curious. "I suppose in your team's constant close proximity to one another it is to be expected. But you speak with such loyalty. Your bond is closer, perhaps?"

That pesky rush of warmth rose inside Cid as he feigned nonchalance and glanced away. "When yer've been through all the crap we have yer get to know yer team." He started walking again, and Bugenhagen followed. "Just know that yer don't have to worry about Vincent. He might be powerful, but he's a good man."

Bugenhagen continued to watch him. "I see, but Cid –" And at this, he adopted a stern, grave impression. "Don't assume a good man always has control over the darkness inside of him." With that he gave a slight, parting nod and glided off.

Cid stopped and watched him leave. "The darkness, huh…?" Vincent's deep trauma, his torture and ordeal, had very likely created a hole within him, a pit of agony. A darkness? "Well I'm his light" Cid told the empty air. _I'll save him._ He turned in the opposite direction and limped off. Concern was nagging at him now, fresh worries that had him thinking. If Bugenhagen could sense Vincent's turmoil, was he still hurting as intensely as before? Cid had assumed he was slowly, psychologically healing. He had heard no nightmares, had noticed no strong pinching expressions of pain, and witnessed no cold shoulders to any teammates lately. Had Cid just been ignorant in his own selfish contentment? Even after this new step in their closeness, had he missed signs? Maybe he had underestimated how low Vincent had been feeling a few hours ago in his cabin.

Before Cid had hobbled very far, the very man he wanted to see appeared in the corridor. Had he been standing there while Cid had spoken to Bugenhagen?

"Vince," Cid greeted, drawing closer. "What yer doin'?"

The gunman's eyes traveled the length of Cid's body, taking in his fresh clothes. Was that approval in his eyes, or was Cid seeing things? Either way, he was a couple of degrees warmer.

"I was wandering," Vincent replied vaguely, and then seemed compelled to elaborate. "The cabin is too small for pacing."

"Restless, huh?" Cid asked, ignoring his mind's suggestions to help Vincent alleviate his condition.

"Yes."

The tension in the air was not exactly welcome, but nor was it unexpected. Vincent still seemed unable to allow himself intimate familiarity when he came across Cid, as though he wasn't sure their relationship was still active, and that Cid hadn't decided he no longer wanted a monster. But that would change… eventually.

Cid hopped nearer, closing the distance between them. "You alright?"

Instead of answering, Vincent looked down at the pilot's leg. "You should be resting that."

"Yeah, but yer know me. Stubborn ass," Cid replied. "I don't like lettin' things get in my way."

"Your way of what?" Vincent asked pointedly, raising an eyebrow.

Cid paused. "Wandering with you."

Vincent's eyes softened. "I'm not averse to wandering with you back to your cabin."

"Yer tryin' to play medic now?" Cid gave him a look.

"I'd just… like to see you healed."

Cid blinked. Was Vincent concerned? Cid had never really thought about how his own injuries affected caring friends, too caught up in his pride to notice. But that's what they did, didn't they? They didn't like to see the people they cared about hurt, and Cid wasn't exactly helping his own recovery. And his leg really did ache like a bitch.

After a long, scrutinizing silence, Cid said, "Well, when yer put it like that I can't really disappoint yer." He pulled on Vincent's arm gently and started hobbling along. "Just, no piggy-back offers, okay?" He grinned.

The gunman looked at him, clearly amused. "You have my word," he said dryly.

When they made it to Cid's door, he opened it and entered. He was pleasantly surprised when Vincent stepped in after. "Yer gonna keep me company?" Cid asked, a hopeful lilt in his tone. "I thought yer were restless."

"I was," Vincent replied simply, making no indication he was going to say more.

The pilot grinned. Maybe he just wanted company. "Okay," Cid said. "But for sendin' me to my room – " he grabbed Vincent's arms and pulled him towards the bed. They tumbled on the bouncy mattress, half-sprawled over one another. " – Yer gotta sit with me."

Vincent looked down at him, hair falling across Cid's shoulder. "You're like a child, sometimes."

"Should I be insulted?"

Vincent didn't reply, but the smirk in his eyes was response enough.

Cid hutched up to the pillows, propping his injured leg out in front and patted the sheet beside him. Vincent hesitantly settled there, placing a close but noticeable space between them. At first he was stiff as Cid gathered his technical design papers, but as the pilot began explaining what he had been doing, showing Vincent various ideas and explaining what his chocobo-scratch handwriting said, the gunman relaxed comfortably. Cid made no attempt to push himself closer, no matter how much he wanted to, and instead let him watch as he added, amended, erased and scribbled on his latest designs.

Vincent's head leaned closer as he tried to decipher a line of scrawl. "It is said that creative people have the worst handwriting."

Cid cocked an eyebrow. "Yeah? I think I should say thanks to that, but I'm not sure." He handed Vincent the mechanical pencil. "Let's see _your_ handwritin' Mr. Critique."

Vincent took the pencil and paused over the paper. Could he remember what his own hand looked like? He laid down the point and wrote his name on the edge of the paper, producing a neat, tight lettering with an eloquent, old-fashioned style. Cid found his handwriting beautiful, and the way in which he wrote it hypnotic.

"Write the date down for me, next to yer name."

Vincent frowned. "Why?"

"'Cause when we look back at this in years to come, it'll be nice to reminisce."

Vincent lapsed into silence, and Cid could almost hear his mind thinking. A tender impression flickered across his ruby eyes and the stretching silence prompted a soft, lop-sided smile from the pilot. Vincent reached across and inscribed the date below his name.

"Again with your optimism," Vincent's deep, quiet tone rolled through the air as he handed Cid back the pencil.

"Yer make it sound like a bad thing."

The gunman gave a little head tilt. "Far from it."

The urge to brush a hand through Vincent's hair, or reach up and kiss him was almost unbearable. The little voice in his head suggested he refrain from those things, even though he couldn't figure out why. But if Cid really thought about it, every time he initiated touch, a little line of hesitation would cross Vincent's face, and Cid knew he was still battling his acceptance of their relationship. Vincent was very complicated, to put it mildly; his mind was no doubt a complete chaotic mess of positive and negative points. But deep down, if Cid had to sacrifice a few kisses to establish a stronger bond, he would. Vincent's comfort was more important.

Cid slid down into his pillow, finding a comfortable position between seated and laying. He propped his good knee up and supported the design against his thigh, thankful he had brought his drawing board. "It's funny, you sayin' I'm optimistic. I was pretty much the opposite when I was stuck in Rocket Town."

"This journey has changed us all."

Cid couldn't argue that. Cloud was certainly evidence to it, and even Cait Sith's loyalties had changed. But of course, most noticeably was Vincent. How much more would it change them all? How much longer did they have?

"What's this?" Vincent asked, pointing at a circular object inside of the pilot's designs.

"That's a hologram generator," Cid answered. "I always told myself if I ever crafted another ship I'd install one. Somethin' to kill time on long flights."

"It's recreational?"

Cid remembered Vincent had never experienced a hologram generator before. "Yeah. Think of it as a piece of technology that can project an environment all around yer. Bugenhagen has one in his lab, set up to create an outer space settin'. Used to use it whenever I went to Cosmo Canyon." He rolled his head in the groove of his pillow, looking up at Vincent. "I'll show yer sometime."

Those red eyes blinked thoughtfully. "It can be set to different environments?"

"Yeah, not just space. Why? Got a request?"

For a long moment Vincent was quiet, and then he shook his head. "Merely curious."

Cid watched him affectionately, enjoying the calming atmosphere between them. "There's so much I wanna show yer."

Vincent's eyes found his. "Maybe you will get the chance to."

"I have a feelin' I will."

Head tip. "Optimistic."

Cid grinned, lowering his eyes back to his designs. "Confident more like. Cloud's pretty bad ass, and you…" He looked back up. "Sephiroth should be shittin' himself if he had any sense. But not just because of yer physical strength."

Vincent's expression didn't change, but something in his aura did. This close, Cid could feel it. At some point, the small gap between them had closed, bringing them together, touching. Vincent had somehow managed to recline himself into a position that left very little space between them, and judging by the way his crimson eyes flickered across blue ones, he had just realized their proximity. Slowly, he lowered his head, hair draping across Cid's collar bone, and brushed his lips against the pilot's in a ghosting touch. It seemed to encourage him further, and he pushed another kiss onto Cid's responding mouth, tilting his head to gain fuller contact. It was deep, meaningful and passionate. Vincent tasted of perfection, his lips soft and warm. Cid's followed them with every little motion, sending tiny quivers of pleasure through him. Vincent wasn't just exploring his mouth, he was familiarizing himself with Cid's touch, experiencing his caress. But it was much more. It was the break in his wall, the lowering of his guard. He was kissing Cid like a lover, and damn if that wasn't the reason Cid was lightheaded right then.

The kiss broke, but just briefly. They collected their breath and, in unison, rejoined. Cid was elated. No, he was fucking _euphoric_. He felt Vincent's gloved hand sliding through his hair, fingers curling as their kiss developed. Vincent's inhibitions were gone for good, and the echoes of longing and want that he had been holding at bay were finally receiving attention. He yearned for companionship and contact that could warm and comfort him. Cid cupped his smooth face and promised him everything.

When they finally parted, albeit barely, Cid pressed his forehead against Vincent's, their breaths hot and humid against each other's lips. His heart was thumping, his head was singing, and he felt happy like he never had before.

"I'm gonna remember _that_ when I look back at my designs, too," he purred, feeling a giddy smile working its way out.

Vincent squeezed his hair gently and gave as close to a smile as he could.

Not bad for their first, proper make-out.

/

**AN:** Firstly, sorry, you probably noticed I cut out a chunk of the FF7 gameplay where you have to search for the Ancient Key. But, realistically, it would take Avalanche FOREVER to find it in the ocean, if they even could. Hell, it took Shield 70 years to find Captain America, and that was with a certainty that he was out there somewhere. So I changed it, forgive me. It was also tough because having Avalanche go down in the sub again would have given me the opportunity for them to discover Lucrecia's cave, but I went for what felt right. She'll have to wait, sorry Lucrecia. No hot Vinnie for you to see yet.

Secondly, I hope I made up for my lack of updates with the end of this one. I wanted a sufficient amount of time for Vincent to realize he could indeed accept this thing between him and Cid. It was fucking hard to write - I kept rewriting and deleting the same bits for 2 weeks, trying to get them back to Cid's cabin without it sounding boring. Because the airship scenes are starting to mount and I don't want things to sound monotonous.

And lastly, thank you all for your comments, I reply to those I can, but a shout out to Avi on Tumblr - whose message I think was a hint for me to get moving with this chapter ;) So I did do. And to VivValen *waves*


	37. Return to Midgar

**Journey**

.

/

.

"Damn, look at the size of that bastard!"

As the _Highwind_ raced towards the Midgar coast, the entire bridge was given a spectacular view of the colossal Weapon as it breached the land from the sea. Barret's words were followed up with a few well choice profanities from Cid. The monster was bigger than Sapphire, or maybe that was deceptive as its appearance was more humanoid. It walked on two limbs and had no wings, but its lack of extra appendages did little to lower its intimidation level. Organic armor encased every bit of it, making it seem impossible to injure, but visible through its chest cavity was a glowing core; a heart? Its target, Midgar, lay helplessly inland.

Warning lights flashed about the bridge as the airship shifted into red alert. Cid had taken over at the helm, swinging them around rapidly to pass over the shallows and across the dead beach. They could hear the thunderous footsteps of the creature even from the air.

"Incredible," Bugenhagen awed by the glass.

"Uh, can we really defeat that thing?" Yuffie asked, her voice wavering. "I know we held our own against the Mideel Weapon, but this one…"

"We can," Cloud said resolutely, staring hard out at the monster. "We've been gaining strength since we began this quest. Together we can." He looked across at Cid and nodded. "Set us down."

"Wait, we're doing this from the ground?" The young ninja exclaimed. "Shouldn't we hit it from the air?"

"What, yer want me to set up the plank so yer can walk out and hit it?" Cid replied sarcastically as he directed the airship down towards the cliffy land. "I don't think it'll just let us hover while it marches on towards Midgar."

"Beats getting stomped on," she shot back.

"We do what damage we can from the ground," Cloud interrupted, gripping the handle of his sheathed sword reassuringly. He was back in his dry clothes and ready for action. "If we can cripple it we can stop its advance."

"What's the status on the cannon?" Tifa asked Cait.

"It's still charging."

"Settin' down!" Cid called, and everyone braced. They were atop a low tabletop mountain in the oncoming path of the Weapon. At least they had some altitude to fight with.

"Good luck," Bugenhagen bid them.

Avalanche filed out as quickly as they could onto the barren terrain. The ground vibrated with every footfall of the approaching Weapon, and they raced to the edge of their arena to meet it. Cid's leg began aching again as he strove to keep up. Vincent was beside him.

"Yer know the name of this one?" Cid asked as they ran, throwing a quick glance at Vincent's eyes. They were still red, but if his suspicions were correct, any time now they would shimmer gold in reaction to the monster.

Vincent gave the Weapon an intense observation before his carmine eyes directed Cid a negative response. Barely thirty minutes ago those eyes had been soft and hazy with affection, calm and relaxed. It was fascinating how different situations elicited different moods. It was especially endearing to know that only Cid saw them – and hopefully more to come.

Ahead of them, Avalanche had reached the edge of the plateau. The Weapon sensed their presence and turned his huge head towards them. Three glowing white eyes surveyed them for a second before it reared back its head and roared. From its gaping maw it unleashed a bolt of thunderous energy, which hurtled towards them all. Avalanche dived from the explosive attack as it blew a small crater in the ground, showering them in earth. They had barely collected themselves before it spat another at them, shaking their equilibrium.

Cid shielded his face from the raining debris and looked up just in time to witness Vincent backhanding a small boulder of dirt that would have knocked Cid out cold. The gunman shook the loose mud from his gauntlet and glared up at the Weapon. It was at that second his eyes changed, just as Cid was expecting. Golden orbs stared brazenly up at their opponent, flickering crimson like a pair of temperamental street lamps.

Avalanche had already engaged in battle against the giant, but even as they attacked, it seemed to stare down at Vincent, as though unsure of what it was seeing. Cloud swiped particularly deep into its tough armor, causing a mighty roar that shook the air. It swiped at their tiny forms, like an irritated monster swatting flies. But these flies stung.

Cid wrenched his gaze from Vincent's now red eyes and tightened his fists around his spear. He had barely taken a run-up, intending to leap into the fray, when the Weapon looked away from them all and gazed across the land at Midgar. Something else had captured its attention.

"The cannon's ready!" Cait yelled from behind Cid. "Rufus is activating it right now!"

The Weapon turned from them and began to stomp away, ignoring the team.

"It can sense it!"

Cloud sheathed his sword. "Back to the airship!"

With adrenaline high, the team made a hasty run back to the ship, knowing if the Weapon was as destructive as Sapphire it would kill many innocent people in Midgar. A couple of minutes later the _Highwind_ rose back into the air. The creature had put a lot of distance between them in that short time.

"What the fuck is it doing?" Barret pressed against the glass of the dome where Bugenhagen still floated.

As they watched, the Weapon halted in its tracks. Its wide shoulder pauldrons split in half, separating into two sections, more like a machine than an organic life form. Whatever was hidden inside began to draw in ribbons of energy from the very air. Its chest plate piece released and opened, revealing its pulsing red core. Something was accumulating.

"Rufus is firing in three," Cait began counting down.

The Weapon drew itself up.

"Two!"

It braced visibly.

"One!"

A blinding volley of energy bolts rocketed from the Weapon, across the barren, rocky land and straight for the flickering lights of Midgar. Avalanche looked on, powerless.

But from the city came a flash of light, and within the space of a blink it tore through the Weapon like a laser missile, impaling it with no resistance. The creature flew back, impossibly far, spewing raw energy and whatever innards it had from the gaping hole in its body. It crashed down to the ground, churning up a huge wave of earth and dirt clouds, deafening the surrounding area with the sound of an earthquake.

The flash of light continued across the land, shooting across the ocean and out of sight.

"What the fuck?" Cid gawked at the fallen Weapon, stunned by the force that had propelled and ultimately killed it.

"The cannon," Cloud said, directing his gaze out to the ocean, to the tiny, atmospheric shape that was the North continent. "It's heading to the barrier."

No sooner had he said it, the tell-tale explosion of the bullet impacting the barrier produced a shocking blaze, visible even across the hundreds of miles distance. It flared high into the atmosphere and then dissipated quickly.

"Long range sensors?" Cid barked.

"The barrier has disappeared," came a reply.

Avalanche looked at one another, momentarily speechless. Not only had the cannon punched a hole through a thousand ton Weapon, it had continued across the _planet_ and taken out Sephiroth's barrier, too.

"Fuck," Cid summed up, impressed.

Barret looked back at the city sharply. "What about the Weapon's attack?" He demanded. Everyone looked at Cait. "What about Midgar?"

The little cat was a blank mask, he didn't so much as twitch as they waited for an answer. Finally, several long seconds later he jerked back to life. "Reports coming in," he said. "Damage localized. Shinra headquarters is in ruins. The President was in there…"

Cid huffed. He wasn't going to mourn. Granted, the little shit had done something good with his power, but he was still a prick.

"Midgar's in a state of panic, but it seems those energy bolts didn't do major damage," Cait continued. "There have been confirmed injuries on civilians, but so far no fatalities."

"At least the people are okay," Tifa said, gazing across at the now vivid lights of Midgar. The airship was drawing closer still, leaving behind the dead, mountainous body of the Weapon. Cid wondered how long it would take for such a large corpse to return to the planet.

"Marlene's safe," Cait told Barret. The large gunman's shoulder's relaxed visibly, his worry eased.

"With the barrier down we can reach Sephiroth," Red stated to them all, looking expectantly at his friends.

Cid was in the middle of adjusting the airship's course when Cait Sith hopped up and down for attention once again.

"Wait – something's not quit right," he said quickly, tilting his head while he awaited further information. "Listen." He held up his little palm, and from it came the amplified sound of an audio output device. Cid was impressed, because without the mog, he didn't think Cait had the ability to blast out sound anywhere else aside from his yapper. Voices floated into the bridge.

"Scarlet! Heidegger!" Cait's voice said, echoing in unison with that of Reeve Tuesti's from the audio link. Cid raised an eyebrow, but Cait remained silent thereafter. "What's going on?"

The distinguished sound of a phone being placed back in its cradle preceded Heidegger's voice. "I can't reach the President."

"The entire office must have been blown up," Scarlet surmised, her cruel tone heavy with solemnity. "He would have been at the heart of it."

"That isn't the only problem," Reeve's voice came over urgently. "The cannon is still powered. The reactors' outputs are _increasing_, apparently on their own!"

"That's not possible," Scarlet exclaimed. "The cannon should deactivate after launch and cool for at _least_ three hours. Tuesti, shut it off!"

"I can't. Controls have been locked and rerouted to the mainframe operation." A series of quiet, digital beeps followed, presumably from a device Reeve was tapping. "I'm calling the mainframe station." There was a length of silence while the _Highwind_'s bridge listened intently. "Damnit, I'm being blocked."

"Who the hell is up there?" Scarlet demanded.

"I'm connecting to the cannon's intercom," Reeve's voice answered.

What followed was the unmistakable static of an open communication link. Through Reeve's line and Cait's speakers the sound of high winds howling through the digital connection was slightly distorted, but no amount of interference could completely garble the distinctive voice of Professor Hojo.

"…Hahaha… Patience, Sephiroth… I'll give you all the mako you could ever want…"

Cid's skin crawled and he glanced quickly for Vincent's reaction. The man's eyes had taken on a dangerous edge.

"Hojo, stop!" Came Reeve's projected voice over the intercom. "If you don't power down the reactors you'll put Midgar in danger!"

Hojo chuckled darkly. "A small price to pay."

"Hojo!"

The madman did not answer, but his mumbled promises to Sephiroth continued until the link disconnected and Cait lowered his little hand.

"What the hell is he _doing_?" Barret cursed, casting an apprehensive look out at Midgar. "Why the fuck is he _giving_ Sephiroth mako?"

"He's finally gone completely mad," Red uttered, adopting a disgusted edge to his muzzle. "Nothing matters to him but his experiments."

"Crazy bastard," Cid growled, gripping the wheel tightly. Hojo was no more human than Sephiroth. How could any sane person risk the entire planet?

Barret turned deliberately to Cait and pointed a finger at him. "And you're busted, Reeve. Don't try to hide it."

"Cat's outta the bag, now," Yuffie quipped.

"The more pressing matter is, can't you _do_ anything?" Tifa demanded, stepping closer to the little robot, gesturing with one hand to the large view of Midgar. "Can't you stop Hojo?"

"Can't yer shut down the cannon remotely?" Cid questioned.

Cait shook his head regretfully. "Unfortunately no. Hojo's fused all controls. He might be a madman but he's still a genius. He would have foreseen our trying to disrupt his scheme." He paused and listened to his info feed. "I'm sending a unit to stop him, but Hojo will have anticipated that."

"They won't stand much of a chance," Yuffie muttered.

"Which is why I'm asking Avalanche to help," Cait turned to them all. "I can't even switch off the reactors. Professor Hojo may be insane but he is definitely thorough."

"We can't just waltz into Midgar again," Cid snapped, throwing up his hand. "_You_ might forget, playin' double agent, but the rest of us are still on the wanted list, and I don't think the death of Rufus is gonna magically change that."

"I'll try to keep authorities out of your way," Cait said quickly. "I don't care about my cover any more, there's too much at stake for me to remain hidden. The time has come for me to cast aside caution. Please, you must stop Hojo."

"We will," Vincent spoke up for the first time, his tone firm and his eyes blazing. He leveled a meaningful, if not somewhat challenging look at Cloud, ignoring the eyes of everyone else.

The young blond met his gaze and nodded. "We can't let him risk Midgar, _or_ help Sephiroth. We knew we'd face Hojo sooner or later." He turned his blue eyes on the pilot. "Cid, take us in."

Glancing at Vincent's stony expression Cid edged the airship around to a direct path into Midgar. He just hoped Cait – no, Reeve – could keep any hostility away from them.

Reeve Tuesti. Now Cid thought about it, the little cat's controller couldn't have been anyone else. Cait's caring nature reflected that of his master, as it was known that among the cold heads of the Shinra corporation, Reeve was the most sincere, the one who truly gave a damn about the planet's citizens. Although, for a long time Cid had held a grudge against him. It was revealed that when the Shinra Rocket failed several years ago, Reeve Tuesti supported the cancellation of the space program, and that was an immediate boot into Cid's bad books. He wasn't sure how he felt about the man now. Overall, Reeve was a good man, no, in fact he was an admirable man, given the help and risks he had already offered during their endeavor. Perhaps if they survived he would consider dropping his grudge. Maybe.

As the _Highwind_ passed over the boundaries of the city, Avalanche plotted their way forward that would avoid putting the airship in danger. They couldn't land her for fear of a highjack, no matter what Reeve said about authorities, and they couldn't risk approaching the center, because Cid knew their bad luck would find mini cannons waiting for them.

"So we airdrop in," Cid announced, trading places from the wheel with Berto and his trainee. "By parachute."

"But we can't drop straight onto the cannon," Cait began. "One, wind will be against us; two, Hojo will see us and we'll be sitting ducks to him; and three, it's just plain difficult to spot drop."

"Thanks," Cid said sardonically, leading everyone from the bridge to the nearest wall compartment. He opened the little hatch and produced several parachutes, giving everyone a short, semi-demonstration and making sure they slid them on correctly. He took enjoyment in watching Vincent adjust his harness, and during everyone's preparations he stepped close in the pretense of tightening the strap across the gunman's chest. "Why am I not surprised yer've put one of these on before?" He murmured with a small smirk on his lips.

"Because I have," Vincent replied, lacking any fond or witty quality. He was distracted, his answer a toneless statement. He was thinking about one thing: Their impending conflict with Hojo.

"Yer gonna have tell me about that after this is all over," Cid ordered lightly, trying to bring him back with a tug on his harness. He received only a blink in response and a distant look. The cold glaze that Cid had met Vincent with months ago had returned to his eyes, and the warm ruby that had graced them only a short time ago had bled away to a sharp, fiery scarlet. The man born of rage and vengeance fought through, dominating Vincent's features. Cid lowered his hand from the strap and tried to remind himself that Vincent's sole purpose in life right now was to kill Hojo. He had said it was the one thing keeping him going, that ending the bastard's life would bring him his own distorted peace. Would he still feel like that? He said he would continue with Avalanche, what if he changed his mind? What if a future with Cid wasn't enough for him to see it through?

_A future? With me? Don't start thinking those things…_

Once ready, the team made their way onto the outer deck. Cid tried hard to clear his mind and wipe the worries from his head, but curse that heart of his, it was worried. The streaming wind acted like a river to wash away his thoughts temporarily, pushing them aside. With his mind sharper, he could concentrate on the rather maniacal task at hand.

The _Highwind_ decreased speed, as planned. Cid doubted Reeve would have been able to circulate their questionable freedom through the Shinra troops, so he expected the airship to have attracted unwanted attention by now. He found himself hoping, once again, that she, her crew and Bugenhagen would remain safe.

Cloud was the first to drop, followed immediately by Tifa. The rest of them exchanged uneasy looks, and with a deep breath, Barret dived next with Red right behind and Cait on his back, clinging for dear life. Yuffie watched them fall and took the plunge herself.

This wasn't the first time Cid had parachuted from his airship, but the thrill and excitement coupled with apprehension and concern provoked an unsettled churn in his gut. He met Vincent's gaze, but barely. The gunman hopped onto the balustrade, surveyed the aerial vantage and leapt. Ignoring his aching leg, Cid jumped onto the edge and followed without hesitation.

He plummeted down and opened out his limbs, enjoying the rush of adrenaline as the entire city of Midgar stretched out below him. The wind ripped harmlessly at the shell of his ears, the sound a torrent of whistling, roaring air. He loved the exhilarating experience of falling. If he closed his eyes and pretended he had wings, he could feel himself fly. It was a feeling of pure rapture. Rapid currents stripped through his outstretched fingers, played at his hair; an invisible caress from the planet herself. Behind his eyelids he could see visions from his own dreams.

The familiar feeling he had come to recognize coaxed his eyes open, and he realized he had accelerated downwards enough to fall in flight with Vincent. The wind had lifted back his long hair, revealing his full face, ears tucked just under his bandana and a jawline that curved gracefully. Cid marveled at how different one little shift could make. His cape billowed erratically in the slipstream behind him, pulling the bulk of his exterior away to expose his lithe, leather-clad frame. The gunman's eyes had reclaimed their warm ruby glow as they watched the blond, a tender expression in their depths. Cid found a smile working its way across his lips. Between them, midair above a tinkling city, they shared a special moment.

Cloud's parachute opened below. From there a chain reaction of six more popped, and together they all fell at a controlled pace into a colorless alley of Midgar. They landed heavily and quickly detached themselves from their chutes.

"Pity we couldn't have landed closer," Barret grumbled, looking up at the cannon in the near distance, through the dismal buildings. "It's kinda nice being back in Midgar, though…" He trailed off.

Cait climbed down from Red's back. "Heidegger won't listen to me, I'm sorry. He's sending a platoon to apprehend us all. It's risky for us to be seen up top, we have to get underground."

"Terrific," Cid muttered. He didn't expect it to be easy.

They moved deeper into the alley towards a heavy-duty wooden storm door in the ground. Barret aimed a precise bullet and shot off the industrial lock, and they quickly descended before anyone could investigate the noise.

The ladder down was long, leading them below the streets into a series of huge, metal chambers with unending networks of pipes, platforms and stairs. It looked easy to get lost in, but luckily Cait was a walking map. They followed him quickly through the cool, dank space to the large, gaping mouth of a pipe.

"Just remind yourself, it's for the planet," Cait said before leading them into the grimy pipe.

It was high enough that most of them only had to bow their heads to avoid the top. For Barret and Vincent, however, they had to stoop a little more. They all emerged a minute later into another large chamber, in which Cait Sith led them to another long ladder. It dropped them on a long platform that ran around high structures in an L shape. At the end, however, was a short drop onto a lower one.

Cait Sith hopped down first, Cloud second, and Tifa third. But with her landing came a groan from the platform, and everyone froze.

"I think we should take this one in small groups," Cait suggested carefully.

Cloud nodded, and the three of them disappeared beneath the higher platform out of sight. A few long second later Cait's voice floated to them, calling them down.

Cid let Barret and Yuffie go next. The platform groaned again under Barret's weight, causing them to stop. The rickety walkway gave a few centimeters, dropping dust down to the far away ground.

"Yuffie, go," Barret hissed quietly, as though afraid his voice would upset the platform.

The ninja turned and, with exaggerated steps, edged away and out of sight to where the first three were waiting safely. When they reached them, Barret shouted back for the last of them.

"Perhaps we three should go separately," Red suggested, looking at both men.

Cid nodded and gesticulated. "Okay, you go."

The hound turned to the edge of their walkway, and as lightly as he could, dropped down to the lower platform. It creaked loudly under protest, metal brackets straining loosely. Red padded quickly, unwilling to test its strength more than necessary. When he called out for the next of them, Cid jerked his head at Vincent, gesturing him next.

Vincent shook his head.

"Stubborn ass," Cid muttered. He paused in the midst of turning to the edge, and instead gripped Vincent's cape mantel and pulled him into a cheeky smooch. The gunman kissed back, despite the rather abrupt and inconvenient timing. When Cid had his lips returned, he grinned. "Potentially dangerous situations make kissin' yer even more excitin'."

"Go," Vincent pushed him to the edge gently.

Cid's grin widened and he lowered himself carefully from their walkway, dangling for a split second before letting go and dropping onto the platform. It jarred and jerked down worryingly, sending Cid's heart thumping against his ribcage, but it remained standing. He stepped carefully along it, glimpsing the rest of the team waiting for him in the shadows. Cloud's eyes were like little blue fireflies, guiding him forward.

The platform jilted. It pitched down as it finally lost its stability and began to overturn; metal shrieking noisily on metal. Cid's boot slid along the rapidly declining surface towards his teammates, but even as he struggled to maintain his balance he knew with his bad leg he wouldn't be able to reach them.

Something thudded behind him, sending a jolt of vibrations through the sole of his boots, and then suddenly Vincent's arm was around his middle, running with him to the end of the sinking edge. In one powerful leap they were both rising into the air, and a second later landed safely on the walkway before their teammates. The falling platform clanked and crashed into the shadows below.

"Damn, that was some ride," Cid said as Vincent's arm removed itself, much to his disappointment.

"You okay?" Cloud asked, an entire group of faces peering at them from behind.

"Yeah," Cid brushed it off. "Ain't nothin' we can't handle. I'm lucky Vince is a fuckin' athlete jumper."

His team smiled in amusement and turned to follow the new path, failing to catch the exchange between Cid and Vincent.

Cait led them for a further half hour through the dank tunnels, across walkways and up ladders until they reached a flight of metal stairs that delivered them to a small platform and a duct hatch. To their dismay, it was the only way into the subway system that would lead them to the base of the cannon. Thankfully, the conduit was short, and within minutes they crawled out into a dark tunnel, laid with train tracks. The only light came from small, dim lamps spaced evenly along the subway walls, providing very little illumination. Vincent and Cloud's eyes were little orbs of color in the darkness.

They began walking quickly. Cid suspected Cloud would have ordered them into a jog if not for his leg, which he was grateful for in a way because it really was throbbing like a bitch. He would be happy when he could cure the hell out of it.

After many minutes of almost silent trekking, Red came to a halt at the front of the group, switching his gaze from the path ahead to the track forking off to their right. He sniffed the air.

"I smell enormous amounts of machinery oil that way," he said, gesturing to the right. "The path ahead smells like the rest of our track." He looked over his shoulder up at Cloud. "I think the cannon is towards the oil."

Cloud nodded, and together they followed Red's nose along the dark tunnel. After a short while the sound of voices halted their tracks. Ahead, in the poor glow of the lights, the shape of three figures emerged.

"About time," came the voice of Elena, her blond hair only just visible. Cid had last seen her falling down a snow cliff in Icicle Inn.

"Turks," Barret spat.

"Avalanche," Reno smirked at them in the darkness.

The other figure was undoubtedly Rude, and sure enough as he drew nearer, the shadows revealed his stoic face. Amazingly, he was still wearing his shades, but despite this, there was a level of danger in the way they held themselves. Avalanche had been lucky to avoid a fight with them for so long, because despite their seemingly cocky attitudes and deceptive appearances, the Turks were known for their skills. Three of them would not be easy.

"Thought yer boss was history," Cid said. "Why the hell're yer still after us?"

"Turk are _loyal_," Elena answered haughtily. "We receive a job, we finish it.."

Cloud's hand rose back to the handle of his sword. "We don't have to fight," he stated. "Rufus might be dead, but he managed to take out Sephiroth's barrier. We can get to him, now. We can stop him. That was Rufus' plan, too."

"Yeah, but it was _his_ troops that he wanted to send," Reno replied. "Not you."

Tifa stepped forward. "Rude, don't delay us, please," she appealed to the largest Turk. "Right now, Hojo is planning to send Sephiroth power to _help_ him, and in doing so he's going to _destroy_ Midgar. We might have been on opposite sides, but we can't put the entire city in jeopardy just to fight it out. Please, we have to get to Hojo."

Rude watched her silently for a long moment before looking across at Reno. They shared a wordless conversation, communicating with mere looks before Reno sighed.

"Guess you've got a point," he sighed at Avalanche. "But this is news to us, so if you're lying about Hojo, we'll come after you with a vengeance." Despite his threat, he grinned.

Elena spluttered, obviously disagreeing with the decision, but she moved aside when the other two did, and glared as Avalanche passed them.

"You ain't gonna help us?" Barret asked, pressing their luck. "Hojo's part of your company."

"We've got other work to do," Reno said secretively. He said no more.

Once the Turks had disappeared into the darkness behind them, the team glanced at each other.

"We could have had a nasty fight back there," Barret commented, looking back at the shadows. "Three Turks would have been tough to deal with, even with our strength."

"Bah, we could have taken them out, no problem," Yuffie said breezily.

They followed the track until it ended at a wall. There was another duct above a ladder, and after scuttling in one by one they shuffled in what they hoped was the last tight crawlspace of their lives, they arrived to a vertical ladder. Once outside they greeted the fresh dusk air and observed their surroundings. They had emerged onto a narrow, deserted street. The cannon loomed above them.

No sooner had they taken a step in its direction did the booming footsteps of something extremely heavy draw up behind them. They turned around as a shadow fell over them all. There, a large, mechanical, automaton stopped several meters away. It was a monstrous mass of red and black metal, with two arms but four hands, and razor talon-like digits that could potentially make a mess of anything organic. It did nothing for a seconds, and then its chest plate hissed and released, swinging open to reveal the unexpected duo of Scarlet and Heidegger.

Barret growled audibly. "You two," he announced loudly and disdainfully.

The blonde woman smirked down at him arrogantly, her sharp eyes panning across them all. "Well this was well-timed, wouldn't you say? It could have taken us ages to find you."

Cloud balled a fist. "We don't have time for this," he shouted.

Scarlet's cold eyes lost all amusement. "I couldn't care less for your time. You will all pay for your interference, your terrorism and your…" her eyes flickered to Tifa and they narrowed. "crimes. You're an enemy of Shinra, but more than that you've been a thorn in _my_ side."

"Destroying you will bring _some_ satisfaction at least," Heidegger sneered.

Both of them sat back into the cockpit of the robot and the hatch swung shut. Avalanche drew their weapons and braced themselves. Vincent glanced up at the cannon, and Cid knew he was impatient for their confrontation with Hojo.

The mech suit drew back a fist and with surprising speed slammed it into the blocked paving where the team had been stood a second before. Hard debris flew everywhere, pelting Cid's back as he protected his front. When he looked up, weapon in hand, the machine was charging at Cloud and Tifa, and from an unseen speaker, the sound of Scarlet's laughter invaded the air. Cid took off after it, barely aware of the pain in his leg. He made a low dive and rammed his spear into the right knee joint, catching the sound of the hydraulics malfunctioning and straining. The joint locked, unable to move. Cid looked up in time to dodge a lethal swipe from two clawed hands, brushing past Yuffie as she landed beside him, caught her weapon and raced back to do more damage.

The continued burst of Barret's gunfire ripped through the air to Cid's left, leading his blue eyes to watch the bullets puncture the robot's armor. He caught sight of Vincent leap onto its shoulder and plunge his deadly gauntlet into the seam of the arm armor, effectively tearing up the internal circuitry he managed to pinpoint. Cid wondered briefly why he was not using his gun, and even as he watched, Vincent repeated his melee attacks. His weapon remained holstered.

Scarlet's laugher had soon turned into growls of rage. The mechanical suit could only move one leg and now just one arm, but it had full rotation from its middle. It twirled quickly as Red rushed it, batting him down before he could leap over. He flew into Tifa and the pair was flung out onto the next street.

Cid saw his opening and charged, spear aloft. It sliced into the middle joint, but it wasn't enough to neutralize the hydraulics. He withdrew and thrust it again, this time effectively cutting off all rotation movement. It whined mechanically, a sound that, to Cid, was as painful to listen to as it was for a doctor to recognize the cough of a dying patient. The robot might have been an abomination, but he could bet the internal workings were something to see.

Heidegger's unpleasant voice rattled the speakers as the automaton jerked sporadically, unable to follow commands any longer. It ceased functioning altogether with a final blow from Cloud's buster sword, and together Avalanche stepped back, watching sparks fly and the unmistakable shake of an impending explosion.

"What the hell?!" Scarlet shrieked.

"Get this metal tub _open_!" Heidegger roared desperately.

Cid suggested everyone to retreat further, and as they ran out of the narrow street the sound of Scarlet's scream was drowned out by the deafening detonation. The blast threw out a wave, almost pushing the team off their feet. The robot was lost in a ball of flames and black smoke; the heat was intense. Nothing could have survived inside.

Avalanche said nothing. They turned from the burning wreckage, sheathing their weapons, and made their way into the streets beyond. It began to rain, slowly at first, but in a few seconds it had become a downpour. Cait guided them into another short alley and up the set of industrial staircases at the base of the cannon. They could only climb these in single file, and the rain coated the steps in slick water. For Cid limping up, he found even less stability, but with Vincent behind him he felt reassured that it he slipped he had someone to catch him – and he wouldn't mind in the slightest.

The stairs led them higher and higher until they reached the final platform connecting to the cannon. The rain lashed at their faces and the wind dragged at their hair. Cid's leg was paining him after the hundreds of steps, and his limp had become noticeable despite his best attempts. However, not even Vincent noticed.

As they looked along the length of platform they saw, at the end, the huge mainframe station; a panel of controls and gauges, surrounded by thick metal cables and wires. There, sat at the console with his back to them all, was Hojo.

Vincent stepped into Cid's peripheral vision, but his focus was centered entirely on the scientist. His eyes were cold, sharp and hateful, burning like the hot fires of lava. This was his reason, this was his vengeance. Whatever happened would either make or break Vincent.

Even Cloud and Red glanced back at him before the team, as one, strode forward against the sheets of rain, towards the confrontation they had all been expecting.

/


	38. Hojo

**Journey**

/

**AN:** Didn't make you wait too long, got this one out pretty quickly. I love writing Hojo and Vincent, there's so much to expose between them.

/

Hojo didn't turn around when Avalanche approached, nor did he make any indication that he was aware of them. But he knew. His black hair, tied back as always, was plastered to his white lab coat, slick with water. His hands moved across the controls of the mainframe computer, unhindered by the torrent.

"Hojo," Cloud growled darkly, his voice clear over the thrumming of the rain.

"The failure," Hojo intonated from his work, his voice dripping with affront. He ceased his ministrations. "Or so I had thought for a very long time." He finally spun around on his chair to face them, casting his cool, calculating eyes across Cloud. "That mountain didn't even damage you. I'm impressed, You were the only successful clone. I had to return to my notes and revaluate my work on you…" As Cloud was seething, biting back his anger, Hojo's gaze shifted across to Cid's left. "Hello again, Red XIII." And then to his right. "Vincent…"

Through the rain the sound of a leather-clad fist tightening reached Cid's ears, and he dared glance at his friend. Vincent's eyes were blazing with hatred.

"It's a pity you were both snatched from my clutches in Junon," Hojo continued, his eyes glued to the gunman. "I'm still _dying_ to dig my new tools into that demonic body of yours and finally discover what Lucrecia really did to you."

Vincent stiffened noticeably. "Lucrecia?" His expression softened at her name, but his eyes brimmed with confusion.

That name, Cid knew he had heard it before. Was she the woman Vincent had loved? Sephiroth's biological mother?

Hojo threw back his head and laughed. "Of course you wouldn't know anything. You were dead."

The rage returned to Vincent's eyes and he stepped forward, fists balled. It was the strongest emotion Cid had ever seen displayed on that beautiful face, but it had twisted his features into a torment of pain and anger, distorting the image of the man Cid had come to know over the past months.

Hojo noticed his step but continued to chuckle, pushing his glasses further onto his nose. "But when she gave birth to our son, and the start of the Jenova Project, you fell back into _my_ hands."

Despite the fury radiating from Vincent's tight shoulders, the entire team collectively froze as they registered the madman's words.

"You son?" Cloud echoed, his brow furrowed. A rumble of thunder followed his words.

Hojo's thin lips upturned into a smile just as a small bolt of lightning flashed. "Yeeesss… Although, even _he_ doesn't know it. Only a select few people do." At this, he looked back at Vincent purposefully. "I'm surprised you didn't tell your new _friends_. But perhaps his mention is a sore spot, after all, he is the reminder that Lucrecia chose _me_ over _you_."

Vincent's gun was aiming at Hojo so quickly Cid hadn't seen him draw it. Rain riveted down his leather.

The scientist smirked wider, but he sat back in his chair like his life wasn't at the end of a barrel. "I wonder what he would think if he knew I was his father," he continued. "Always looking down on me…" He broke into another bout of insane laughter, shaking his head at himself. "I wonder what my dear wife would have thought if she could see him now."

"_Shut up_," Vincent growled dangerously, tightening his grip on his weapon. Cid had never heard him sound so raw, so threatening before.

This only seemed to encourage Hojo. "She never even got to hold him. We took the baby away before she had recovered. But she had become too emotional, she had neglected her scientific curiosity for maternity." He wrinkled his nose at this. "I knew then that she would put the project at risk. She had far too much heart to be a true scientist, yet too much curiosity to do anything else. She was fascinating, wouldn't you agree, Vincent?"

The gunman said nothing, but in the falling rain and growls of thunder, Cid saw his gun shaking.

"You know she was merely eyeing you _because_ of that curiosity, don't you?" Hojo drawled nastily, pushing his glasses up again. "She was intrigued by your eyes. There is _so_ much you don't know about her, and yet you loved her. Foolish boy."

Three bullets exploded from the gun and embedded themselves in the console behind Hojo. Vincent's eyes were mere slits of furious red. Hojo didn't even flinch. He might have been mad, but Cid had to admit he had some balls.

"She was too good for you," Vincent hissed.

Satisfied he was provoking a response, Hojo's eyes danced with malicious enjoyment. "I don't agree. In fact, I think we would have been the ultimate scientific duo if not for her change of heart."

"Try _your_ fuckin' _lack_ of heart," Cid snapped, glaring at the man. He felt Vincent's eyes flicker to him briefly.

"Oh, I had heart," Hojo replied, locking his eyes on the gunman once more. He seemed riveted with him. "I looked down at you on my table and told myself I couldn't possibly disfigure that pretty face of yours – although it was well in my capability to do so."

"You sick bastard," Cid spat, unable to listen to his cruel words any longer. "Yer like hearin' yerself talk, don't yer? Well let's get this show on the road and yer can listen to yerself fuckin' scream."

Hojo laughed once again. "But we're having such fun catching up on old times. It's been nearly thirty years since we last spoke properly." He paused, feigning thoughtfulness. "Oh, that's right, I did all the speaking. You did the screaming."

The click of Vincent's empty gun penetrated the drumming of the rain, but the chambers were empty. He knew this, and yet he couldn't stop himself from squeezing the trigger.

"You tortured me…" Vincent's voice was unsteady, overwhelmed with rage and torment, tearing at Cid's heart. "You twisted my body into monsters and then imprisoned me inside a coffin for the world to forget… You butchered your own wife and child and as a result the entire planet will suffer…" His jaw tensed as he gritted his teeth, barely containing his rage. His eyes flashed gold, catching Hojo's undivided attention. "I've been waiting for the chance to kill you the moment you brought me back to life in that lab. You will pay for what you've done. And _I_ will be the one to send you to hell."

"Ironic, in that I gave you the demons with which to do it," Hojo remarked darkly, amused. "I could say that _word_ again. I could stop you in an instant. What makes you think I won't do that? Oh, but I suppose if anyone has the right to kill me it would be you. Even above Cloud, I did nothing to him compared to what I did to you." He stood up from his seat as Vincent slowly, deliberately, refilled his chambers. "I should warn you all, Sephiroth and his mother weren't the only ones I injected with Jenova cells…"

Before he had even finished talking his body began to change. Shocked, Avalanche stepped back as the madman began to laugh and green tentacles erupted from his body, tearing his coat. His face was disfigured by the growth of alien cells crawling along his jaw and cheeks. His eyes gleamed, a cold, inhuman depth to them. His voice had taken on a distorted, otherworldly resonance, sending chills through Cid's body. Whatever he was looking at now was no longer human. He was a monster.

"Red XIII," Hojo rasped loudly, the alien appendages flailing threateningly around him. "What a pity I didn't have enough time to experiment more on you. Just think what _wonders_ I could have done to your body – I could have given you the strength I gave Vincent, I could have bestowed you with POWER…" He turned his wild eyes on the hound, who froze visibly, horrified. "I had limited tools back then and look at what I created! Imagine what I could do now…"

The tentacles lunged, but not for Red. Cloud had only just enough reaction time to block them with his sword, but he stumbled back from the force. Barret's large hand caught him. Hojo cackled loudly.

The fight broke out. Vincent was the first to shoot at him, but the bullets sank into Hojo's conformed flesh like pebbles in thick sand. The man was unfazed, and for a moment they all gawked. Hojo turned his maniacal eyes on Vincent and his twisted grin widened.

"You were one of the most _engaging_ experiments!" He exclaimed, dodging Yuffie's weapon as it soared towards his head. He battered poor Red from the air, slamming him into the metal grating and all but ignored Barret's bullets. One of his tentacles wrapped around Cloud's neck before anyone could blink, and it took Tifa and Cait to help him pry it loose. All the while his eyes burned into Vincent. "Your body belonged to me, I memorized every _inch_ of it. And when you failed me, when your mind _shattered_ under my work, I was dismayed – I had given you _everything_, every bit of my genetics knowledge to make you into the perfect weapon!"

Vincent snarled, a sound more animal than human, and charged at Hojo, swiping at an oncoming tentacle with viciousness, slicing the appendage into ribbons before plunging his gauntlet wrist-deep into the madman's chest.

Hojo coughed and cackled again, and the maimed tentacle constricted itself around Vincent's torso, regenerating before their very eyes. "But then _she_ did something, and no matter how I tried, what I did, I couldn't contain your power anymore! But now I have better methods, and three decades worth of advanced tools!"

Cid dove. The pain of his leg and the soaking of his clothes were all forgotten as he pierced through the scientist's shoulder, shattering bone and tearing sinew. The pilot twisted the blade of his spear, damaging as much as he could before wrenching it back. Cloud, free from his choking grasp, followed through almost immediately, plunging his sword into the wound.

Hojo stumbled back, dragging Vincent with him. The gunman gouged at the appendage holding him and pulled free, only to rush back in and stab his talons through Hojo's stomach.

A putrid, disgusting soup of innards slopped onto the ground and Hojo sagged. For a second, Avalanche stared, unwilling to believe it had been that easy. Vincent's eyes were glowing like golden flames, teeth bared. Cid noticed with a start that he had grown fangs.

Without warning Hojo snapped upright, throwing everyone back. They regained their footing and looked up to watch the madman writhe and alter. His body grew and transformed, towering over them all as the pale skin turned a sick pallet of colors and his body shape lost all semblance to anything human. His face stretched, bones cracking and groaning, tendons twitching under the thick flesh. His skull elongated into a grotesque, monstrous shape, jaw gaping with a set of razor sharp teeth. His eyes were hooded beneath his cranial ridges, but his glasses remained in place over a nose that had been deserted of skin. He was the thing of nightmares.

"I modelled my traaaaanssformation abilities after the sssssuccess of yours," the creature spoke. Its voice would haunt Cid for a long time. "You were my priiiideeee, Vincent, until you failed me…"

The gunman's eyes had returned to red, but they were wide with shock and revulsion, in what he was both seeing and hearing.

"I spent yeeeeears over you, I devoted all of my time to your body –I know you betteeeer than you know yourself."

"_Shut up_," Vincent snapped, hand around his gun so tight Cid was afraid he would break it. His eyes were switching colors again.

"Do you remember evvvverything?" Hojo continued, his body sways to and fro like a serpent hypnotizing its prey. "Do you recaaaaall how I celebrated your fiiiiirst transformation?"

Something hesitant swam behind Vincent's eyes, his brow furrowing hard as he tried to summon the memory. Cid knew the exact second when he did. His vision blanked in realization and bled gold as a black cloud of magic enveloped him.

"Yeees!" Hojo cried. His laugh was a thing of terrible sounds. "You're _mine_!"

"No!" Vincent thundered, and in that instant he was swallowed inside a sphere of dark energy. A split second later, the form of Galian exploded out, maw open wide in a deafening roar.

Cid was thrown back by an invisible force, caught by Tifa. They both looked up to witness Vincent's beastly form charging Hojo in a rampage of fury. The two monsters clashed, unhuman powers fighting head to head with the boom of thunder and lightning to commentate their awesome battle. Cid's mouth was open. He had thought Vincent could only transform if he took extreme damage, but it was his rage that had forced this.

One of Hojo monstrous appendages slashed across Vincent's furred arm, gouging deep. Red rainwater streamed onto the ground, but Vincent didn't even notice. His blind anger had effectively numbed him, and he could focus on one thing only. His muzzle opened wide and he took a powerful bite out of Hojo's thick flesh, tearing through to bone. The madman threw his alien head back and howled, and Vincent immediately took advantage of his exposed neck to rip out his throat. Green blood spewed everywhere, trailing ruined veins and torn tissue from the gaping wound. Vincent, or Galian, leaped back while Hojo floundered, and between his poised claws a brilliant ball of fiery magic began to accumulate. Hojo couldn't recover in time to see it – with a herculean heave, Vincent pitched the deadly magic and the Hojo creature was engulfed in burning flames. It shrieked and screamed so loud and so horrendous that Avalanche covered their ears.

Galian Vincent panted loudly and watched, his jaw tainted with Hojo's flesh and blood. His eyes were glowing fiercely.

Hojo's body began to sag and his struggles died to twitching spasms as the fire did its work. The team watched the grisly sight in a state of shock until the motion of Galian drew their attention. He crossed his arms, braced his body and disappeared inside his transformation aura. When it dissipated, Vincent straightened up, teetered, and then dropped to his knees, clutching his stomach and vomiting.

Cid rushed over to him, dropping beside him in the puddled water. He placed a hand on his back and touched the gunman's arm. Worry tugged at his heartstrings. He didn't care if some feral part of Vincent might lash out unintentionally, an aftereffect of his Galian form, Cid just wanted to comfort him.

When Vincent finally lifted his head, his face was exhausted. There was no light in his eyes, no victory in his features. He looked like a broken man. Cid cupped his face, feeling his eyebrows tighten. Rain streamed from them both.

A sound reached their ears and they looked up. The flames had disappeared, and as they watched in astonishment, the mass of melted flesh that had once been Hojo moved, drawing up and reforming. Cid and Vincent froze in disbelief as a new shape developed.

"Impossible," Tifa whispered somewhere to the left.

The new creature resembled nothing of the old one, nor of Hojo's original appearance. But it was as alien as the last, and triggered a fresh wave of fear through Cid's body. This thing had no facial features, no hands, no legs, but retained the torso of a humanoid. It had long, deadly looking appendages that snaked and whipped about in anticipation. Despite its lack of eyes, it seemed to be looking straight at Cid and Vincent.

"Still so pooowerfull." Its spine-chilling voice echoed around them, reverberating inside the pilot's skull. "I have enjooooyed our own little reuuuunion. But I want to test the clooooone's strength now."

Vincent uttered a throaty growl, rising to his feet with Cid by his side. "You think we'll just let you play with us?" He demanded, withdrawing his gun. "We won't obey your terms."

"You, my boy, have no other option." And at that second he said it. That word. The word that evaded Cid's memory and slid from his grasp.

Vincent's body didn't move. He had been paralyzed again. But his eyes… his eyes were wide with alarm. Cid gripped his shoulder and called out his name, but he expected nothing to come of it. And nothing did. Vincent was frozen.

The Hojo alien laughed and turned its faceless body to Cloud, who visibly tensed and brandished his sword. His blue eyes shone with the spirit of the fighter he was, but they couldn't hide the traces of fear. This was the scientist that had experimented on him, too.

"I'm cuuuurious to see if you possess the same strength as my sooooon."

Cloud bared his teeth and narrowed his eyes. They glanced quickly at Vincent, and Cid could feel him thinking the same thing. Would Hojo reveal that he had conditioned Cloud in the same way?

Another battle broke out. Cloud surged forward, weapon swinging, with his teammates by his side. Cid tore his gaze from them all and looked deploringly at his friend. His companion. Vincent's eyebrows where twitching, and in the depths of his tormented eyes Cid could see the pain in there. He was reliving something terrible, trapped in his mind.

"Vincent, shit, c'mon," Cid breathed desperately, shaking him hard again. "Snap outta it!" He stepped in front of him and took his face in both hands, staring into his amber eyes. "Fuck, Vince, I dunno how to –" Wait, hadn't Cait mentioned this to Cid before? In Mideel. Yes – they had discussed Hojo's mind conditioning on Vincent. Cait had thought physical stimuli would break the paralysis. Cid paused. Physical Stimuli? Pain? He studied Vincent's haunted eyes and decided he could do whatever possible to snap the man from his hell.

In one fluid motion he slapped Vincent's face, the sound wet from rainwater. The gunman's head jerked slightly, but he remained motionless.

"Oh, _c'mon_," Cid pleaded, knowing he would have to do something more. "Fuck." He swallowed against the dryness and thought creatively. He pinched Vincent's arm hard. It did nothing. "Goddamnit!" Cid cursed. He glanced across at the raging fight in time to watch Barret's arm split open and blood gush from his wound. Cid looked away quickly and gripped his spear. "Forgive me, Vince." He took the gunman's left bicep and sliced it rapidly, drawing blood.

Vincent recoiled and his body released. He faltered on his feet and Cid caught him before he went down. Vincent clung to him like a lifeline.

"Thank fuck," Cid breathed. "I know how to break it now. He ain't got a hold on yer anymore."

Vincent's eyes grazed across his as they were drawn to the fight. The fury ignited in his red depths once again, but their golden alternatives returned, and Cid knew they didn't belong to Galian. He detached himself from Cid and raised his gun, checking the chambers. "I have to end this…"

Cid clutched his spear in both hands and when Vincent looked back at him he nodded. Together they both jumped into the fray, joining their teammates.

The Hojo alien was both surprised and delighted to see the gunman in action. He laughed gleefully. "I will have you back under my knife again!"

Vincent didn't respond verbally, but shot a volley of bullets into the creatures head. Hojo jerked and twitched, but recovered almost too quickly and retaliated with flailing limbs, whacking Cait and Yuffie from their feet.

Cid thrust his spear and sliced a gash in its side, jumping over a low sweep from its right tentacle. But he failed to avoid the immediate follow up from the left and was slammed down into the grating. The air was punched from his lungs, leaving him momentarily gasping. He drew in rainwater and coughed, rolling onto his side to spit it out.

"You are strooooong," Hojo hissed to Cloud, blocking an attack. "But you are no Sephiroth! I still find it haaaaard to believe you ran him through with his own sword – when you were a mere, weak boy!"

"You'll find _everyone_ you look down of to be full of things _you_ didn't think they could do!" Cloud yelled, swinging his sword. It was blocked again.

"I would have yooooou back in my lab, too!" Hojo cackled.

Vincent had holstered his weapon and was relying on his sharp gauntlet for damage. Hojo's new form seemed unaffected by bullets, forcing Barret to use his gunarm as a melee weapon.

"We could go oooooon all night," Hojo drawled, clawing at Red and digging a line of blood into his fur. "But I want to test a theory I never had the daring for all those years agooooo."

Cid was on his feet. What the fuck was that bastard ranting about?

"You're _mad_!" Tifa yelled, landing from her attack.

"I gave you so much strength and physical heeeealing," Hojo continued. "But I never carried out the one test that could have changed the experiment forever!"

Cloud hopped back next to Tifa, Barret and Cid as the alien monster withdrew, shunting distance between them. They were doing little to harm him. Every slice and jab was healing already.

"I couldn't carry it out while I was inveeeested in the work, I couldn't risk looking it all," Hojo said. "But now it doesn't matter!"

"What the fuck are you _talking_ about?!" Barret bellowed, clutching his injured arm.

"This!" Hojo exclaimed. His left tentacle lunched out, dagger-like through the air – and embedded itself through Vincent's temple.

Cid blanked.

Vincent's face was dazed. The appendage withdrew with a sickening sound, releasing the man. He fell to his knees as the light left his eyes, blood poured from his head. In a surreal play of slow motion, he wavered for a moment before pitching forward. He hit the ground and stayed there.

No one seemed to register it.

"I aspired for immortality, but he has disappointed meeee yet again."

Cid roared. He saw red. Barely aware of his actions, he had charged. He envisioned only Hojo's death, and he wanted it. He didn't feel the stab through his side, he didn't feel the thrash of the thick tentacle across his face. He felt only numbness and a mechanical frenzy.

_Vincent._

Something erupted outside of his enraged bubble, sending a shockwave against them all that pushed them away. Cid lost his footing and tumbled to the ground as Hojo's bulk hit the decking. Shock and adrenaline combined to return Cid his cognizance, and he looked up at the wave's point of origin.

There, where Vincent had fallen, something else was getting up. Swirling mystical energy faded from its orbit around the creature as it rose to its full height. It was humanoid, but it was not at all human. Two huge, leathery wings extended rigidly from its back, stretching like they had never been used. They beat the air languidly, generating powerful gusts of wind that sent the rainfall flying. It was clothed in black leather, adorned with golden boots and strange accessories. On its left hand was the glove of a gauntlet. Across its chest was the unmistakable red material of Vincent's cape, which was also tangled into a jagged crown of spikes rising from the bandana around its deathly pale face. A bright, noticeable light glowed at its breast above its heart, but as Cid's gaze travelled this creature's form in bewilderment, his heart leaped as he recognized the familiar golden glow of the creature's eyes. The same gold hue that had been flickering into Vincent's all this time.

"_Impossible_," Hojo breathed, and had he eyes, Cid was sure they would be wide in shock. "She_ didn't_…"

Avalanche had climbed to their feet warily, wrecked with emotions. Cid's eyes were racing across this winged creature's body, connecting the familiar traits to Vincent's attire. Was this thing Vincent?

"But she did," Hojo continued to talk to himself. "Hah! It all makes soooooo much sense now! How she maaaanaged to revive him!" He broke off into hysterical laughter.

The winged demon creature lifted its head. It had no irises and no pupils, but it was clearly regarding them all. It radiated energy, power so great the rain-soaked air tasted of it. It was dangerous, setting off warning bells so strongly inside Cid's mind that he could barely contain the urge to run. He did step back, though.

"We did it, Lucrecia! Together, weeeee created the perfect killing machine!"

"What is that thing?" Tifa demanded, but there was fear in her voice.

"The oooooobject of Lucrecia's discredited theory. A being that shouldn't be. Chaos!"

Cid was unable to look away, even as the creature's lips pulled back to reveal sharp, deadly fangs. _Chaos?_

"I never thought she could reach my level of corruption, my drive to go aaaaaall the way. But she has surprised me. Why did she never tell me? She managed to controooool and contain a Weapon of _destruction_! My beautiful Lucrecia!"

The demon tilted its head, uncomprehending the alien Hojo's words, sizing him up. Eyeing its prey.

"Hojo, what _is_ it?" Cloud commanded.

"That, fooooooolish boy, is a Weapon, or mooooore accurately, a semi-Weapon. It is equivalent to the destruction any Meteor can cause," he broke off laughing eccentrically.

Cid looked sharply at Cloud. This Chaos could destroy the planet?

"Vincent has been a hooooost to it all along," Hojo began to approach it. "Oh, Lucrecia, they made a mooooockery of your thesis, and so did I. But look at what you have done…"

He made it no further. Perhaps threatened by Hojo's advance, the demon growled – a sound that seemed to originate from everywhere – and before their eyes, it beckoned together the energy from the air into a ball of crimson magic, drawing on Cid's very soul, sucking at his life force. Hojo had no time to move out the way. In the next instant the energy was hurtled at his alien form, and with a screech of terror, the man was blown to bits, his cells flung everywhere. Bits of flesh rained down onto the metal decking.

"_Holy shit_," Barret stepped back, eyes wide.

The demon, Chaos, turned its eerie glowing eyes on them all and snarled, flexing its claws.

"W-we can't fight that thing," Yuffie's voice waved as she stepped back, too. "What'll we do?!"

Cid made a bold decision. He moved forward, ignoring Yuffie gasp. "Vincent," Cid called to it. "Vincent, I know yer in there!"

The demon looked at him, studied him. It growled quietly and for once Cid wasn't afraid to admit he was scared. It took a step towards him, and then another, sniffing the air. Could it smell fear? Or was it detecting the blood that had been spilt?

"Vincent!" Cid called again, an edge of desperation in his voice as the demon moved closer still. He refused to back away, but his legs had frozen to the spot so he couldn't if he wanted to.

"Cid…" Cloud warned. "I think you should step back…"

"No," Cid said, keeping his eyes on the creature's. "Vincent's in there. I've gotten get him back…"

By now it had closed the distance between them, and was near enough for Cid to reach out and touch it. If he was mad enough. Its mannerisms were that of a wild animal, a big one that feared nothing. It cocked its head as it studied him, sniffing him. At this proximity he could feel the creature's energy like a physical touch. It assaulted his body like radiation, reminding him that this thing was as far from human as the mountainous Weapons were.

The glowing light in its chest caught his eye. Now he could see it, he noticed distinct details within its core that made him frown. It looked like a materia. But why was it in the chest of a Weapon?

A memory invaded his mind, momentarily distracting him from the threat. He saw his hand touching Vincent's naked chest and feeling a warm sensation. The point above the man's heart had glowed with the same light as the materia before him now. It had woken Vincent up from his induced sleep.

Without hesitating, Cid reached out and pressed his palm over the orb. His teammates gasped and the creature recoiled, snarling, raising its talons – but it stopped as the light from the materia pulsed. In the next second the entire being was shrouded with dark energy. When it disappeared Cid found his hand on Vincent's chest.

The gunman fell forward, eyes closed. Cid caught him and lowered them both to the wet floor. He checked his pulse quickly, finding a strong, steady heartbeat. _Thank Shiva…_

Avalanche closed around him. Tifa touched his shoulder. "Is he okay?" She asked quietly.

"He's alive," Cid replied, brushing a lock of water-slickened hair from across the gunman's face. He examined the point of entry of the tentacles on Vincent's temple, but the bandana was unmarked, having been mended during his transformation. Cid knew his skin had healed, too.

"We have to go," Cloud told him gently. "Hojo's dead. We need to get back to the _Highwind_."

Cid nodded numbly. He fumbled for his communicator, calling Holoski. He ordered a pickup, unable to even ask if the airship had been targeted or not. His mind was swimming.

No one spoke as they waited. The rain continued to pour.

/


	39. Concerns

**Journey**

/

**AN:** First off, really sorry for the wait. I actually had this chapter 90% done three weeks ago, but I wasn't able to complete it because I discovered I had a detached retina and had to go in for eye surgery. My eye's been recovering for that time and I was only able to read and write properly just recently.

Secondly, thank you all for your awesome reviews. Taiso, I'm mashing facts from FF7 with DOC and in FF7 Hojo's letter he states he locked Vincent away, so I'm running with the original idea, and it's much more juicy for angst ; )

On with the show.

/

The _Highwind_ retrieved them quickly, picking them up out of the rain. She was chased from Midgar by confused troops, who were unaware their company was in disarray. Rufus was presumed dead, Scarlet and Heidegger certainly were, and Reeve was a single man, he couldn't run a ruined company.

The soaking team were silent as they parted, disappearing to their temporary cabins to peel off their wet clothes. Barret carried Vincent to Cid's cabin, as the pilot was unable to bare more weight on his injured leg. The team had agreed that it would be wise to keep an eye on Vincent. This sudden and shocking revelation had left them all wary. They had been traveling across the planet with a demon so powerful even Hojo had been stunned. They didn't know what would wake up in his body.

Before Cloud had disappeared in the direction of his own cabin, he had stopped Cid. "We need to discuss this later," he had said wearily, glancing at Vincent's prone form in Barret's arms.

"I know," Cid replied listlessly. Cloud walked away.

Inside his room Barret paused while the pilot removed the sopping, heavy cape from Vincent and tossed it on the floor. The ragged ends shifted in a ghostly manner, as though they weren't bogged down with water; Cid remembered when _they_ had been the spookiest aspect of Vincent. A towel was stretched across Cid's bed and Barret carefully rested their sleeping friend on it.

At the door, he paused. "Be careful, huh?" He told softly. Eyeing Vincent one last time, the large man left.

Cid closed the door and turned around. The past events remained locked up in the memory vault he had stored them in, waiting to be reviewed and analysed when he was mentally ready. For now, he moved over to the bed and removed Vincent's shoes. He wouldn't wake him, but nor would he leave him in his drenched clothes, so he busied himself with removing them.

"Sorry," he muttered, knowing Vincent would dislike being undressed. "I won't look." Another time he would have cheekily thought to himself, _no matter how much I want to_, but even in the recesses of his own head he couldn't find the energy to joke.

True to his word, he diverted his eyes after removing Vincent's leather, wrestling with it over his gauntlet. He had glimpsed his exposed chest that day in the _Mudroller_, but he hadn't purposefully looked and therefore couldn't recall anything. Was it scarred or smooth? Would Vincent's healing powers have cleaned his body of all traces? Or had Hojo disfigured him before he had given him such accelerated recovery?

After folding and draping the towel on the pillow, Cid managed to dry Vincent off and shift him under the bed covers. His long hair was still saturated, so Cid patted it of excess water, finding the action strangely soothing. The gunman's breathing was calm and steady, his face peaceful. He appeared so much different without his bandana and cape to hide behind. It would have been easy to forget he was no ordinary man.

Cid quickly stripped off his own clothes and dried himself, proceeding to drape them and Vincent's over anything he thought would be a substitute clothes lines. He had wrung them off as much as possible, but it would take time to dry completely. He would take them all to the engine room later.

Cid gave himself a quick rub down and pulled on his other set of clothes, which, luckily, had dried out from the last waterfall. Sitting down on the bed, he rolled up his pants leg and removed the bandage for the last time. He wasn't going to bother with a new one. In fact…

Cid glanced over at Vincent's gun holster and reached over for the cure materia. To his astonishment the green orb shone pure and bright, unmistakeably high in power. How could that be? It took cure materia a long time to grow.

He healed his leg completely, thoroughly glad that it would give him no more trouble, and then used it on his chest, too. Any little scrapes and bruises were soon mended so that, although very tired, Cid felt healthy at least. He would have to take this to Barret and Red.

Cid looked over his shoulder at his sleeping companion, watching him breathe gently before stretching himself down, closer, across the bed. He trailed his fingertip along a line of wet, ebony hair, merging it back into his bangs. This close, Cid could map every millimetre of his face and count every single eyelash against his porcelain skin. He needed to find a new word for beautiful because the sleeping man was making his heart weep. Cid brushed his lips over Vincent's bare forehead.

"I'll be right back," he whispered.

Leaving his cabin with the cure materia, Cid trudged through his ship to the first of his teammate's temporary quarters. Cloud, Barret, Red and Cait were inside, still drying themselves off. The men had picked up a spare pair of scrubs from the infirmary and Cloud was tugging on his top as Cid entered.

"Is he still asleep?" The younger blond asked.

"Yeah," Cid sat himself on the bed and produced the materia. "Check this out."

Barret took it from him, examining the glowing orb. "This is maxed out," he stated, surprised. "How the hell did you do that?"

Shaking his head, Cid said, "I didn't. Vincent had it. It must have absorbed the energy he was puttin' out. Good news is we can heal now."

Barret used the cure to close up his wounded arm, and then bent down to heal Red's chest. The poor hound was dripping water onto the floor, so Cid grabbed a spare towel and threw it over him. On his left, Cait's artificial fur seemed to be drying already.

"I've told the girls to come here when they're ready," Cloud announced, his tone heavy with fatigue. He was using a small hand towel to rub his hair dry, spiking it up even more than usual. When he was done he lowered it and stared into space. "Hojo's finally dead…" he said. His eyes were plagued with thoughts and feelings. "It feels like an empty victory."

"It'll sink in properly later." Cait watched him.

Cloud took the materia from Barret and used it on his wounds as Red rolled around on the towel Cid had given him, digging his back into it. If he'd had the heart for it Cid would have chuckled, finding the sight amusing.

Minutes later there came a knock on the door, and Barret opened it for Tifa and Yuffie. They, too, had donned a pair of clean, white scrubs; wet hair plastered to their faces. Cloud passed them the materia. Their arms and faces were dashed with small lesions, the worst of which seemed to be an angry red line that ran along Yuffie's forearm.

Tifa's brown eyes found Cid. "How is he?" She asked softly.

"Still sleepin'. I think he will be for a while."

Yuffie lifted her tired eyes from the cure materia, her bandana missing from her forehead, allowing her bangs to fall over her eyes. "Will he be alright? I mean, he got stabbed in the head… He should be dead…"

"He's immortal," Cait announced uneasily, as though the word was taboo. Everyone looked at him. "We always wondered," he continued, reminding them of a conversation Cid felt sure happened before he joined them. "That's the test Hojo wanted to confirm; whether or not he had given Vincent immortality."

"He confirmed it tonight," Cloud stated softly, sinking slowly onto the bed on Yuffie's other side. He looked troubled.

"Vincent can't ever die?" Yuffie asked delicately, her brow tugging empathically.

Cait's little shoulders shrugged heavily. "I don't know, to be honest. It seems he can't be _killed_, and he doesn't appear to have aged at all in nearly three decades, but there's so much we still don't know…" He hesitated before adding, "I think maybe we should gather all of Hojo's documents from Shinra Manor."

"Why?" Yuffie asked.

Cait glanced at Cloud. "There might be more that we don't know. That we _need_ to know."

"If even Hojo didn't know about that demon, what makes yer think we'll find out any more?" Cid questioned, feeling a little too personally involved in this conversation.

"Hojo mentioned a thesis," Red replied. "Perhaps that will provide a few answers."

Cloud crossed his arms and closed his eyes. "Maybe, but it can wait." He looked hard at the floor. "We need to discuss whether or not that demon poses a threat to us."

Tifa shifted on her feet uncomfortably. "It didn't seem to recognize any of us… I don't think it's like the other forms Vincent takes. It was another entity…"

"How is that possible?" Yuffie frowned.

"I don't know." Tifa let her eyes drift, recalling the demon's appearance. "But whatever it was, I don't think Vincent could control it."

"Maybe he doesn't even remember," Red speculated, gaining everyone's attention. "I felt his presence disappear when that demon appeared. I think he _did_ die, but that creature stepped into the void."

"And then Cid brought him back," Tifa recounted, and everyone looked at the pilot. "How did you know what to do?"

Cid blinked, having been unusually pensive as he listened. "I noticed somethin' in his chest once before, and when I touched it he woke up –"

"I remember that," Yuffie interrupted. "It was when we'd rescued him and Red, wasn't it?"

"Yeah. When I saw it glowin' back there, I took a chance."

Having been lent against the wall, Barret stood straight, a stone edge to his features. "Question is, are we safe travelin' with a _demon_?"

"We have been so far," Cid answered firmly, almost snappish.

"What if this incident was the one that unlocked it?" Barret demanded. "How do we know it won't just take him over and blow us _up_?"

"Because _I_ won't let him die again!" Cid just about yelled, on his feet and in Barret's face.

Everyone was quiet, the air in the cabin was tense and thick. Cid glared at his large friend, but he was both seething and doubting himself. He didn't know what the hell that thing was, he couldn't know for sure it wouldn't just possess Vincent again and decide to kill them all. Like Tifa had said, it didn't recognize them.

Finally, Cloud broke the silence. "Vincent's never shown any signs before now, no indication that it can just take over his body. It's likely it can only do so when he's…" He trailed off with a slight motion of his hand, his meaning clear.

Cid kept his mouth shut. But Vincent _had_ shown signs. Those golden eyes had appeared more than a few times during their journey. Did that mean the creature had been under the surface all along?

"Yeah but we don't _know_ for sure," Barret argued. He ran a hand over his short hair. "Fuck, I thought it was bad when we were running from the enemy, but now we gotta keep an eye on one of our own?"

"Yes," Cloud told him. "If he continues with us, we keep an eye on him, but we don't abandon him. He's a victim in this, Barret."

The large man's jaw tightened. "Doesn't mean he isn't dangerous to us."

Cid kept his anger in check, but it was hard. "Did you guys talk about this when yer first saw him transform?" He accused. "Did yer conspire to keep or toss him?"

Tifa touched his arm. "Cid… we're not conspiring. We're _concerned_. Even Hojo was shocked…"

"Cid," Cloud began. "Vincent's not going anywhere unless _he_ wants to, but we have to know what we're traveling with."

Cid regarded him. "Well, lemme know if yer make any _decisions_," he said dismissively, making his way to the door. "I'll be in my cabin." His one regret was not being to slam the door behind him. It did make a loud SWOOSH in the silence he left behind, though.

He returned to his room to find Vincent in the same position. Cid watched him from the edge of the bed, thoughts running wild as they broke free from his mind vault. Things that Hojo had said echoed in his head, that woman's name, Lucrecia, repeated like a chant. There was so much that Vincent had kept hidden, that Hojo had only exposed snippets of. Vincent had really loved this woman, did he _still_ love her? Could he love anyone else? She had saved him, by the sounds of it, but as a confusing contradiction she had put that demon inside of him – cursed him. And he hadn't known. He probably still didn't know…

Cid shook his head clear and grabbed their wet clothes. He decided to take a quick walk to the engine room, where he draped his and Vincent's items over the warm machinery. He left them there and went back to his cabin, unwilling to leave Vincent's side for long. What state of mind would he be in when he woke? Would Hojo's taunting words have gotten to him? Would the scientist's death have taken all the fight from him, or given him the peace he had been after?

No sooner had Cid sat back down on the bed did a soft knock come at his door. He opened it to find Tifa, her brown eyes silently asking for admittance. He let her in and returned to his seat by Vincent.

"How is he?" She asked softly, shutting the door behind and approaching the bed.

"Healed. Not a mark on him," Cid replied mechanically.

"Cid," she began, moving closer. "I'm sorry about Barret. But please don't blame him. He's concerned for the whole team, he always has been. He just doesn't express himself in the right way."

"Sounded like he would rather throw Vincent away than _risk_ it," Cid said spitefully, turning his gaze on her.

Her eyebrows tugged sympathetically. "I know, but he didn't mean it like that. He's worried… and, truthfully, he's scared. He had the same concerns when we learned Cloud was under Sephiroth's control."

Cid said nothing. He let his eyes wander across the bed sheets.

"He respects Vincent," Tifa revealed. "But he has to voice the questions he knows the rest of us won't."

Sighing, Cid's shoulders dropped. "I know," he muttered. "And yeah… it'd be stupid of me not to be careful after all this. But, Damnit, Tifa, after everythin' Vince's been through I ain't gonna let anythin' else remind him of it."

She was silent for a few seconds, watching him. "You've grown very close to him these past weeks, haven't you?"

Cid wouldn't deny it. "Yeah…"

She lowered herself carefully beside him on the bed and cast her eyes down across Vincent's face. "He looks so different…" She commented in a voice barely louder than a whisper. Then she looked back at Cid. "I've seen how he looks at you, and how he talks to you. I didn't think he would ever feel for anyone ever again." Tifa pressed a warm hand over Cid's. "I'm glad he has you."

Cid felt a sad frown flicker across his face. "Dunno if that'll be enough for him…"

She squeezed. "This isn't a man who gives friendship lightly. Let alone affection. If he's let you in, I think you're more than good enough for him."

He was genuinely touched by her words. "Thanks, Tif."

The young woman rose to her feet. "Bugenhagen said that Meteor will fall in seven days," she told him. "We're going to talk about our next course of action later. Until then, get some rest."

Cid froze at the old man's name, barely noticing Tifa's exit as she left his room. Bugenhagen's words came back to him, warning Cid that there was something non-human inside Vincent, something dark that he might not be able to control.

How had he known?

/

Cid had fallen asleep shortly after Tifa left. When he woke and checked the time he found he had been out for five hours, but he still felt tired and drained, and with a rumble from his stomach he realized why. He sat up on the bed and glanced down at Vincent. He hadn't moved an inch. Cid's eyes flickered over his face and, just to reassure himself, down to watch the barely perceptible rise and falls of his chest beneath the covers. Aside from this, he was as still as death.

Cid wasn't sure how long he watched over him. A plethora of images, thoughts and fears veiled his track of time until the man beside him finally stirred, drawing him out of his own head abruptly.

"Vince?"

Vincent's eyelids slowly flickered open, revealing a sliver of vermillion. He blinked hard and found Cid gazing down at him. He muttered the pilot's name and sat up, observing the cabin and the bed he was in. He looked down and noticed his clothes were missing, glancing about subtly for them. Spotting his gun, holster and boots, the man touched his wet hair and pieced the info together. Something came back to him.

"Hojo?"

Cid shifted. "He's dead, don't yer remember?" He received a vague frown. "Yer killed him."

Vincent seemed confused. His eyebrows pinched. "I don't remember that…"

It was Cid's turn to stare. "What's the last thing yer _do_ remember?"

Vincent raised a hand to his temple, touching the point of entry. "…Dying."

A painful constriction gripped Cid's chest. He swallowed and lifted his hand to Vincent's face. "Yer scared the shit outta me," he said quietly. He wanted to keep touching him, to reassure himself that Vincent really was okay. Cid had watched him die right before his eyes, and in the same minute revive into a monster from hell. His mind and heart had been severely shaken.

Red eyes softened at his words. "What happened?"

Cid lowered his hand. "After Hojo… killed yer… yer transformed. But it wasn't one of yer other forms." He paused, detecting the curious, suspicious way in which the man's eyes narrowed slightly. This didn't feel right to tell the man about something so disturbing. "This… winged _demon_ appeared. It killed Hojo. Blew him to bits. There wasn't much left."

Vincent's expression took on a troubled look of uneasiness. "I don't have… a winged demon form…"

"Yes yer do…" Cid told him gravely, a lilt of reluctance haunting his tone. "Hojo called it Chaos. He said… he said it was a demi-Weapon."

Red eyes were now wider beneath an incredulous frown. He stared hard at Cid as though he was telling him lies. "A demi-Weapon?" He repeated.

Cid's mind chose that moment to put two and two together. He realized now how Vincent was able to sense the Weapons' emotions and gleam Sapphire's name: He had one inside of him.

"I don't recall anything," Vincent murmured, looking painfully insecure. "Did it… turn on you all…?"

"It didn't hurt us, no," Cid chose his answer carefully.

But Vincent was smart; he saw past the pilot's evading words. "How did it disappear?"

Cid lowered his eyes to Vincent's chest, where the faintest of lights glowed beneath his skin. He reached out slowly but let his fingers hover just out of contact. "I touched this…"

Vincent looked down, frowning hard, and leaned away from Cid's fingers.

"There's a materia in yer chest," Cid told him gently. "It brought yer back."

For a long time Vincent said nothing. He touched the light under his skin tentatively, feeling the perceptible waves of magic emanating. The flicker of emotions was painfully evident across his features. "I truly am a monster…"

"_No_, the scientists who did that to yer are the monsters," Cid told him firmly, grasping his bare arms, driving his words home. "Don't yer dare think this is _your_ fault."

Vincent didn't speak. Cid couldn't begin to comprehend the storm inside him. For a while now Vincent had accepted the transformations his body could take, because at least he was conscious and aware, his mind didn't change. But now, to be told he had been possessed by _something else_ that he couldn't control – how would he handle it? If it was Cid's burden, he would be losing it right now. Vincent had had no idea at all that he was carrying something demonic, something so powerful all this time.

Unable to watch his broken expressions any longer, Cid slid a tender hand through the back of his long, wet hair and pressed their foreheads together. He closed his eyes. "I wish I could take yer pain away…"

For a few seconds no one moved, until Vincent's right hand slid along Cid's jaw, cupping his face and pulling him a fraction closer. It was such a tender action, Cid hadn't really expected it. It sent a raw wave of emotion unfurling in his stomach. They remained like that for a minute, sharing the silence and sharing the burden. Craving a deeper touch, Cid wound his other hand around Vincent's lithe form and embraced him, pressing his face into the crook of Vincent's bare neck. He had always disliked hugs, but right now he didn't want this one to end. Vincent smelled of rainwater and sadness, his pulse steady against Cid's cheek.

After a few seconds Vincent pulled back a little. "Please fetch me my clothes…"

"They're wet." Cid studied his face. "I can get some scrubs from the infirmary, though."

"…I have to leave."

Cid's heart stopped. "What?"

Vincent lifted his broken eyes to Cid, and in their depths he saw what Vincent had already decided before he had even said anything.

"No, no," Cid said quickly, shaking his head.

"I can't continue with you," Vincent said, his tone full of regret and yet, at the same time, empty.

"Yes yer can, yer _will_," Cid ordered.

"I can't risk it…"

"There's no risk, as long as yer don't die aga –"

"_Hojo's dead_, I've done what I set out to do. I won't put you in danger –"

"Yer _won't_ put me in danger!" Cid shouted. "Goddamnit, Vince, yer told me yer were comin' with us, so don't yer dare go back on yer fuckin' word now!"

Vincent was silent; his eyes swirling with poorly conceal emotions. Shame, pain, grief, regret, sorrow – Cid could see them all and more, contained in the gunman's hard exterior. The way he looked at Cid made the pilot's heart break.

"I _told_ yer I wanted to be with yer if yer discovered more about yerself, and damnit I _meant_ it. Don't yer dare think I'm gonna let yer just take off."

Vincent still said nothing. He continued to look distantly at the bed sheets, allowing the pilot to vent. His lack of response provoked a worry in Cid's chest and for a long time neither broke the silence. Vincent was lost in his own head. Something had shattered in his features, something that Cid had begun to mend during their time together. But now…

"Where would yer go?" Cid asked suddenly. "Assumin' the planet is saved and life rolls on, what yer gonna do? Can't avoid _everyone_ forever." He watched Vincent's eyes staring blankly at the sheets before shifting closer to him, resting a hand on his covered leg. "Vince, the safest place anywhere is with _us_," he continued, earning a glance from those ruby eyes. "At least _we_ know about yer demon, and if there ever was an incident, _we'd_ be the only ones who could bring yer back…" He paused. "Yer can trust us to be there for yer, just like we're askin' _you_ to be there for us."

Vincent stared long and hard at him, complex thoughts and feelings running through his head. Cid wondered if, after everything Hojo had said about Lucrecia, Vincent no longer felt any attachment to the team. To him. Cid wondered if he had been reminded of his old life and wanted nothing more to do with this one. Gods, it hurt to think that.

"Vincent…"

The man's eyes lifted, called by his full name. Cid tenderly slid a hand through the length of wet bangs, holding his gaze, trying to show him how much he wanted – needed – Vincent to stay with them. He wasn't sure how it influenced him, good or not, but Vincent leaned forward and drew him into a kiss. It was slow, lingering, instilling Cid with sadness. He threaded his good hand around the back of Cid's hair and kissed him again, deeper, parting his lips. Their tongues met and their noses bumped. Vincent pushed more, as though committing the touch and taste of Cid to memory. To remember one day.

His hand found its way to the pilot's other, wrapping over it and guiding it to his chest. He placed it flat against the materia inside and they both unintentionally broke their kiss, gasping as the strangest sensation swam into their palms and seared through their veins. It felt like tiny shooting stars dispersing across Cid's body. He found Vincent's eyes, sharing the sensation wordlessly, before slowly lowering his gaze to the man's chest. The light was a little brighter beneath their hands. And there, beside them, was the unmistakable scar of a bullet. Cid had never noticed it before, had never looked close enough, but now it was clear. He gently pulled his hand free of Vincent's and touched it.

"This is where he shot you…" Cid murmured quietly.

"…It never healed."

Cid brushed a thumb across the scar tissue. Vincent exhaled, his chest constricting in reaction, but he didn't move away. Blue eyes studied the bullet wound, envisioning the moment when the shot punctured through the skin and the man before him died. This was the only evidence of his original life, the one dark souvenir of his time as an ordinary human.

"Does it sound stupid," Cid began in a tone no louder than a whisper, "that I look at this… and I wanna protect yer from anythin' else that would hurt yer…?"

Vincent's expression opened, touched by the blonde's words.

Cid took his hand again and pressed them back over the gunman's heart; the magic pulsed softly underneath. They kissed again, tender and warm. Vincent entwined their fingers.

There came a knock at the door. It was quiet but audible.

Parting was difficult; it felt like Cid was pulling away forever. He gazed at Vincent's red eyes, yearning for contact even now, but reluctantly got off the bed and moved to his door.

Yuffie was on the other side. "Is Vincent awake?" She asked, her usual chirpy tone muted, replaced with a levelled concern. She glanced inside the cabin.

"Yeah."

"Cloud wants to call a meeting in an hour, in the conference room" she explained. "He wanted to make sure we would all be there."

"Right," Cid responded. "We'll see yer there."

Yuffie hovered for a second, her eyes flickering into Cid's cabin. "Is he okay?"

Cid wanted to say yes, but he knew Vincent was far from mentally fine. Instead of a verbal answer, he gave her an confirming titch of his lips.

She understood his meaning. Her face dropped sadly. Cid knew she cared for Vincent, she had been less wary of him and more open about his abnormalities. She nodded and turned away, dismissing herself.

Cid closed the door. Vincent was looking at the bed sheet, his long, wet hair curtained around his face, guarding his weary features. Cid felt like someone had hefted his heart high and let it drop from a skyscraper. He sat back down on the bed.

"Wanna take a shower?" He asked, and quickly realized how that sounded. "Not with me," he hastened to correct. "I meant, did yer wanna clean up?"

His word blunder brought a humoured light to Vincent's eyes. "Yeah," he answered, his deep voice whispery.

Cid gathered a towel for him. "I'll go see if yer clothes're dry."

Without waiting for Vincent to get out of bed (because he wasn't sure he could trust himself not to look), Cid left his cabin and made his way to the engine room. It had been over five hours since he left their clothes in there, and sure enough most were dry. Vincent's cape was still damp, though, so Cid left it and collected the others.

On his way back he slowed down, allowing that locked corner of his mind to open. A bombardment of thoughts and feelings burst free, and he allowed himself to look back at the memory of the cannon scene. He tried to picture what this Lucrecia woman might have looked like. Would she have long hair? Would it be dark like Tifa's? Or light, like Cid's? Was she a firm but loveable woman, or a timid, sweet person like Shera? What kind of tastes in women did Vincent have? And where was she? Did she die? Or was she still alive, nearly thirty years older? No, wait, Hojo had mentioned injecting her and the baby with Jenova cells. Her aging would have been decelerated at the very least. But the way in which she was spoken of, Cid suspected she had died some time ago. Was it selfish to hope that maybe she _had_? Vincent would have some closure on that one-sided relationship and he could focus more on Cid.

Shaking his head, the pilot chided himself. His thoughts were sounding greedy, all he wanted was Vincent and for Vincent to want him. He felt like a school kid who had fallen head over heels for another, but tragically the other kid that was out of his league. It didn't matter that the man could transform into monsters at will, or that suddenly it was revealed he was the host to a demon. Cid would take Vincent with all those attachments.

Cid had arrived at his door. He entered to the continued sound of the shower still running. Vincent must be trying to wash away everything along with the grime. Cid leaned against the ensuit door, wishing he could join him. Not in a sexual manner, but an intimate one; to hold him close under the fall of hot water and comfort him.

Sighing, Cid stood straight and knocked. "I'm gonna set yer leather down on the floor." He called, and then did exactly that. The humidity clung to his arm for the few seconds it took, and for a brief moment he was worried about the extreme temperature of the water. Maybe Vincent was trying to scold away his feelings.

Ten minutes later the sound of the water stopped. Cid had taken to reading on his bed, but he had been on the same page of the little Mechanics History book since he had opened it. He had read the same sentence many times and yet it hadn't sunk in. Thoughts had kept his mind occupied.

It was a further five minutes later when Vincent emerged, redressed in his leather, its weight no doubt comforting. His hair was sleek and water-logged, his cheeks flushed faintly with the heat of the water. He looked at Cid with sharp but pensive eyes. He had obviously taken the time in the shower to run all his troubling thoughts through his processor and was still chasing them around his mind.

Cid closed his book and watched him as he came to sit by him on the edge of the bed. Their previous conversation had haunted him during Vincent's shower, and now it worried him with a vengeance. He discarded his book and studied the gunman's face carefully.

"I have to find out what it is," Vincent said into their silence.

"I know," Cid replied. "But yer don't have to find it alone. Yer don't have to leave."

"Cid," Vincent began heavily, casting his eyes in the pilot's direction. "This is my problem. I will be an unnecessary liability to the team, and you cannot afford that. Time runs short."

"Yeah, well maybe I won't go with the team, either," Cid argued, feeling like a stubborn child intent on quarrelling. "If you leave, maybe I will, too."

Vincent looked at him and something akin to amusement shimmered into his features. "No you won't," he told him gently. "Your place lies with this mission. It always has." He paused. "Mine has not."

"Then make yer place with me, Damnit," Cid blurted.

The gunman stared at him, unsure how to respond. Confliction flickered across his eyes, and before he could form a reply the silence was broken by the loud rumble of Cid's stomach. Vincent blinked.

Rubbing his belly, the blond scowled. "Ignore that. We haven't finished."

Vincent rose to his feet. "No. We should eat."

Cid looked up at him, detecting their conversation's end. He stood, also. "Just… just wait until we hear what Cloud has to say," he requested. "Before yer decide…?"

Vincent's eyes flickered to his blue ones, but he said nothing.

/


	40. Shore Leave

**Journey**

/

When they arrived at the conference room thirty minutes later, the team had already gathered, dressed in their white scrubs like some strange, holy cult congregation. Cid led the way through the door and all eyes turned to them. There was a moment of thick silence as the two men approached.

"Hey, Vincent," Yuffie greeted gingerly, twisting in her seat to see him better. "How're you feeling?"

Her question hung in the air for a moment, evidently anticipated in the faces of the group. The atmosphere was a little awkward, but then any communication, or indeed anything at all concerning Vincent, was often a little awkward. Maybe that was why Cid had managed to break through his walls; he hadn't particularly used special or evasive treatment when dealing with those awkward interactions.

"Fine," Vincent replied, his tone carefully blank. No one could have gained any readings from him, and if Cid hadn't just spent the last few hours with him he wouldn't have been able to, either.

"Are you… up to date?" Cloud asked hesitantly, stood at the head of the large table. His bright blue eyes flickered between him and Cid.

"Yes."

Barret studied him carefully, brown eyes projecting caution, observant. "You're completely _you_ in there? We ain't gonna get any unexpected visits, right?"

Vincent set his eyes on him. "Truthfully, I don't know."

Barret's eyebrows twitched in grim concern and he glanced at Cloud. He hadn't wanted to hear that.

"Are you aware of it?" Red asked from by Yuffie's chair. "Can you feel the demon in your subconscious?"

At this Vincent's eyes switched teammates. "Yes. I have always felt it." He paused. "Now I know what it is."

Cid stared at him. He hadn't even thought to ask such a question, and the answer surprised him more than it should. He wondered what such a sensation felt like. Was it similar to a headache? Or a niggle in his mind?

"Hey, c'mon, we're not going to interrogate Vincent," Yuffie reprimanded everyone. "I thought we were talking about the next step."

"We're here to get up-to-date," Barret corrected her. "And that's what we're damn well doing."

"Well '_update'_ me on the plan," she shot back at him, crossing her arms and scowling at him. Cid had to admit a little fondness for her defense of Vincent.

"You two," Tifa muttered.

"What matters right now is we're all together to discuss what we have to do," Cloud said, recalling his audience. A grim glimmer crossed his features and his blue eyes panned around them all. "Meteor will fall in seven days," he told them, plunging them back into bitter reality. The air was concentrated with seven undivided attentions. "We don't have long at all."

"We will if we stop that crazy alien bastard," Barret interjected.

"If…" Cloud repeated the word, casting his troubled gaze down at the surface of the table. "I was thinking… what if we don't stop Sephiroth? What if he's too strong for us? Once we go into that crater we might not come back out…" He gave the silence a moment to reign. "So I decided that, for one or two days, we need to step away. We need to make sure that we're doing this for the right reasons, find our strengths…"

"You think we should just idle about and do some soul searching?" Cait asked, tilting his head.

Cloud shook his head. "No. I think we should go away and visit the people or places we love." He looked at Barret. "Wouldn't you like to see Marlene again?"

"Damn right I would," the large man answered.

"Then I think you should," Cloud offered. "In case we can't defeat Sephiroth, I want everyone to take time for themselves."

"You're not soundin' very optimistic, there, kid" Cid said carefully.

Cloud lifted his blue eyes to Cid's. "You're wrong. I am thinking optimistically. I think this idea will remind us what we're fighting for. I think it will give us more strength. I know _my_ reason; my personal issue with Sephiroth. It's what is driving me forward. I _have_ to face him. I want to face him. I think we should all find our reason."

"My reason is Marlene," Barret said softly, his eyes playing across the floor. He was no doubt conjuring images of his daughter. "At first, I think I just wanted to fuck with Shinra, as revenge for what they did to my town… But now I know. I wanna save the planet so Marlene can have a future." He nodded to himself. "And _damn_ will I try my hardest to make that happen."

"Go see her," Cloud said. "Everyone, get off the ship and find your reasons. Come back when you have."

Cid straightened. "What if some of us don't come back?"

The young blond looked across at him, a gentle grace in his eyes. "Then that's fine. Can't fight without a reason or willingness. And I won't blame anybody that doesn't return." His eyes made their way to Vincent. "But everyone is valued in this team, even if they don't come back."

Their meeting ended shortly after, but not before they discussed transportation for the group, since their destinations were scattered over the continents. Cid devised an arrangement to move the _Highwind_ to his own home town area, as it sat approximately in the center of everyone's chosen locations.

Vincent was the first to leave the conference room, an exit that lacked his usual personality without the sweep of his cape. Cid quickly relayed the new flight trajectory into the ship's com. system and dashed after him.

"Vince –" Cid skidded to a stop in the corridor. Vincent had disappeared.

/

During the short flight to Rocket Town Barret took the first Lifeboat, before the distance stretched further than necessary between them and Midgar. Cid watched him go, gazing after the little aircraft until it had disappeared into the dawn troposphere. He glanced at the overcast clouds and turned away.

Yuffie took the second Lifeboat immediately towards Wutai upon arrival at Rocket Town. Cid wondered what her reasons were, what she was fighting to protect, and whether it would be enough to bring her back. Red and his grandfather took the third Lifeboat out to Cosmo Canyon shortly after, leaving the _Highwind_ another couple of voices quieter. With Bugenhagen gone, so were potential answers that Cid had hoped to hear; the old man might have been able to provide some information in regards to Vincent's new demon. Unfortunately they had not crossed paths in the airship before departure. It would take them all many hours travel time, and for that Cloud had allotted a couple of days leave. For those that wanted to return.

"What about you?" Cid stalked onto the bridge and stood by the glass dome.

Beside him, Cloud watched the heavy weather roll above the awakening town. "I don't have anywhere to go," he said softly. "Besides," he turned his soulful eyes on Cid's. "I know what I'm fighting for; I don't need to go anywhere."

"What about Tifa?"

Cloud looked back at the scenery. "I'm not sure," he replied slowly.

Cid studied him a second longer, experiencing a twang of pity for them both. Their hometown had been burnt down, taking their family and friends with it. No one should have to suffer that.

"And you?" Cloud gestured to the smattering of buildings below. "Are you going?"

Cid observed Rocket Town, seeking his rooftop among the other tilted houses. Shera would be waking soon. "Yeah. I think I should."

Cloud watched him, detecting the slight undertone of uncertainty. He said nothing.

Minutes later, Cid swept into the engine room to retrieve his dried jacket. Vincent's cape was gone. A flutter of uneasiness rose inside him and the pilot increased his pace back through the ship. He returned to his cabin to find Vincent's holster and weapon gone, and the disquiet crept a notch higher. After a disappointing check on Vincent's own room, Cid wondered if Vincent was truly going to just leave without a word. Or had he left already? It was a cold thought.

His feet trudged forward and he found himself on the outer deck several minutes later. The sun was starting to balloon from the horizon, pitching rich, golden streams of light across the land. The mountains behind the town were topped with the first warmth of the day, but the entire picture was spoiled by the threatening illumination of Meteor. The air was still cool, however, and as Cid rested his elbows on the balustrade he felt the fresh morning breeze toying across the nape of his neck before he set his jacket collar straight.

It was quiet. Peaceful. A contradiction to reality. Cid inhaled silently and cast his eyes over his town. His incomplete town, lacking its namesake and lacking its leader.

"Cid."

Startled, he glanced at the entrance hatch, where Vincent stood. Cid blinked. "I thought yer'd gone."

The man approached him, halting just short of his personal space. "I am just leaving."

The impulse to reach out and touch him was strong, but if he did he wasn't sure he would let go. Instead, Cid gripped the balustrade a little harder and allowed his eyes to flicker between Vincent's, collecting a vocabulary that would provide him with the best possible determent. He didn't want Vincent to go, but he understood why the man felt he had to.

"Where're yer gonna go?"

Vincent cast a distant glance out across the land. "Shinra Manor. If there is anything to learn, it will be there."

Cid studied his face closely. "Yer be alright? Goin' back to that place?"

The crimson gaze swung back to look him in the eye. Something in his features shifted to exude calm assurance, indifferent confidence. But what Cid saw was a thin façade, masking the glimmer of doubt and uncertainty that lingered beneath.

"Yes," was his answer.

In the distance, a muffled growl of thunder disturbed their brief pause. Dark, heavy clouds were rolling in from the ocean of the other side of Rocket Town.

"What if yer don't find what yer lookin' for?" Cid questioned.

"Then I will look elsewhere."

The longer Cid found himself standing there, the more obvious the gap between them became. He felt cold.

Vincent reached into a hidden pocket and withdrew he pilot's phone, holding it out. "I think I've held onto this long enough."

Cid stared at it, noticing it for the weak lifeline that it was. "You keep hold of it," he said, finally taking his hand from the balustrade. He pushed Vincent's back toward him, folding the man's fingers over the small device. Vincent caught his gaze. "Yer never know if yer might need it."

The gunman said nothing, content to let Cid's words linger between them. He withdrew the phone and slid it into his pocket.

The thunder rumbled again, a little closer. Cid drew his gaze away and glanced at the clouds looming closer, if only to break their eye contact for a moment, to recollect his tough exterior. When he looked back Vincent was also watching the storm, chin tipped above his cape mantle to catch the gentle flow of the breeze across his skin.

Cid's hands moved on their own accord and his feet closed the gap between them. Fingers combed through the gunman's black hair, gripping the back of his head as he brought their lips together. It was firm, if not a little rough, but it was received eagerly. He felt a gloved hand press into his hair and the knuckles of a gauntlet bump into his side, not quite holding, but there. The warm rush of breath across Cid's face was sapped quickly by the cool air as they chased each other's lips, but the heat generating from the two of them sought to hold the chill at bay.

Cid broke the kiss by an inch and inhaled, opening his eyes to find Vincent watching him, lips parted as though expecting more. Why did he have to capture Cid's heart so hard? Why was it so painful to think of letting him go?

"I'm goin' to Rocket Town tonight," he blurted, unable to let go of the gunman's face. "But my reason for this fight ain't there. I already know what my reason is." Vincent watched him fixedly. Cid gripped his hair a little tighter. "I'm gonna beat Sephiroth's ass. I'm gonna win, and yer know why? Because then I can come and find yer. Because after that fight, after the world is saved, yer won't ever have to be on yer own again. I'm comin' for yer."

The gloved hand loosened its hold in his short hair as those ruby-red eyes looked hard into Cid's; a deep, piercing stare. A lifetime seemed to flash behind them and suddenly he was lost in the intricate pattern of red fibers, watching the unguarded soul of a man flicker. Something didn't seem right. In its depth was a vacillating shimmer, a response to his words. But it was more than that, more than a response. It was a reaction.

The hand had left his hair now, and suddenly there was distance between them again. Cid stared at him, confused by the expression that had lined its way into Vincent's face. No, there was no expression. Only the frozen image of a soul behind his eyes.

In a flutter of red, Vincent was gone.

Cid stared at the deck, mind processes stumbling slowly. He blinked, trying desperately to comprehend that last, fleeting look before peering over the balustrade. Vincent had disappeared into the wilderness.

Just like that.

/

The storm passed over the _Highwind_ forty minutes later, releasing a drizzly rain across the area. The clouds brought a warm air current in from the coast, feeding the languid claps of thunder, but there was no lightning. Cid was halfway to his town in the fourth Lifeboat when the first splatters of water fell across his view screen. He acknowledged it subconsciously, the forefront of his mind tangled in thoughts and questions. He had left Cloud and Tifa alone on his airship after they had convinced him they didn't need to leave. Cait Sith had disappeared, although whether he had shut himself down somewhere onboard or had left Cid wasn't sure. Maybe Reeve wanted a break from his controls. As for the crew, well, they weren't going into a crater with Avalanche, so Cid was sure they would do their thing later.

When the Lifeboat set down in his own back yard, the drizzle had become heavier. As the engine's resonance faded, Cid stared out at his house through the sheets of rain. There were no lights on through the curtained windows, and in the minutes that he sat there and watched, the house remained dark. Either Shera had not heard the Lifeboat and was still asleep, or she had moved back to her mother's for company. Did he want to go in and find an empty home? Or did he prefer solitude and no questions? He couldn't decide, but he knew he couldn't sit in the little aircraft for two days. Sweeping his backpack onto his shoulder and pinching his collar tight, he opened the little hatch and quickly stepped outside, closing it behind before dashing for the backdoor. The wet grass squelched underfoot and cool raindrops saturated his hair. He grabbed the door handle and in the same swift moment shouldered open the door – or he would have if the damn thing hadn't been locked. Shoulder throbbing and clothes rapidly soaking, Cid tried again.

"What the fuck?" He cursed. They never locked the doors, it was too friendly a town.

Hissing obscenities while he ran around the house, he was glad to find the front door open. He burst in, wet clothes dripping, kicking it closed behind him as he shrugged off his pack and jacket and ran a hand over his slicked hair. He listened for a moment, but there was no sound other than the hum of the refrigerator and the thrumming of rain outside. Shera was a light sleeper, she would have heard. The house was empty.

Cid toed off his boots and glanced around his kitchen, noticing a vase on the table with a bunch of blue-petal flowers. They were starting to wilt. He cast his eyes over the dimly lit room, recalling the day when Avalanche had come. It felt like years.

After flicking on his heating system, he took his backpack with him upstairs to shed his clothes and refill the bag with fresh ones. Naked and cool in the unheated air of his bedroom, he quickly stepped into his shower and let the much more welcomed hot water cascade over his skin. It traced pleasant burning rivets down his face, along his arms, across his sculpted back right down to his toes. He ignored the soap and shampoo and braced a forearm on the tiled wall, hoping the water would wash out the tightly knit bundle of thoughts in his head. It didn't so much flush them away as release them, forcing Cid to confront the swarm of questions and scenarios. Thus far he had been able to keep all mention of Vincent from his mind, but now, behind his eyes, all he could see was the last look on that perfect face before it vanished. What had Cid said to provoke that? What had Vincent been thinking? Cid felt downhearted, somehow. That wasn't how he had pictured their farewell to end. He had hoped there would _be_ no farewell.

Shampoo be damned, he scrubbed himself down with soap and turned off the water pressure. The bedroom was like ice compared to the warm, steamy air of the bathroom, so he quickly grabbed a pair of clean clothes and threw them on over wet hair. However, when he returned to his room he had no desire to do anything. Anything but curl up in his bed and sleep.

Which is exactly what he did.

/

He napped for only a couple of hours, falling into a series of unrelated, fleeting dreams. He didn't remember much of them, but the last one seared a violent, disturbing image into his mind's eye, and he jerked awake to the haunting, nightmarish echo of a creature with golden eyes and a crown of blood that trickled thickly across deathly pale skin. Cid swallowed drily and ran a rough hand across his face. If he didn't think about it, it would fade like all other dreams. Easier said than done.

His sleep should have refreshed him, yet he felt more sluggish and heavier somehow. He trudged down to the kitchen and made himself a pot of tea, assured it would at least perk him up a little. As he sipped his drink he wondered what he would do now. The house was warm now, and the rain outside had lessened, but together they stirred a nostalgic sensation within Cid, associating both things to a comforting, long lost memory. No sooner had it faded did a new mood overcome him, and he felt miserable. Why? He had an idea why, but he didn't want to admit it. Vincent's leaving had a deeper impact on him than he cared to think, and he didn't like that. He had brushed off relationships in the past easily and without emotional baggage, but this was different, and this _felt_ different. What he wanted right now was to put his mind back into gear and focus on the goal, the main mission. He had to remind himself that Rocket Town was still his home, and he would protect it despite the bitterness that had followed him out. That was why he had come back; to visit his haunts and say goodbye to his people.

Downing the last of his hot tea, Cid placed the cup on the sink and suited himself up for the drizzle still falling outside. He left his house and splashed his way along the puddled street towards the local tavern, knowing that on such a day many of the town's residents would have gathered inside for company and drink.

Sure enough, when he stepped into the building and shook the excess water from his coat, several familiar faces turned to spot him.

"Cid Highwind!" One of his friends greeted, surprised by his unannounced return. "When the devil did you get back?"

Cid pulled a free barstool closer and joined the group, which collected around him with keen faces and split grins. The bartender, Truss, pushed a pint towards him.

"What have you been doing all this time? Shera told us you'd joined this group of, what'd she say? Freedom fighters, or something."

Cid grabbed his glass. "Yer ain't gonna believe me…"

/

The rain had ceased by the time he left the tavern hours later. He felt he had done well to avoid inebriety, although he had annulled this achievement by inhaling an entire packet of cigarettes. And he still felt he needed more. His addiction had hit him like a brick to the face during his recounting, and it wasn't until he was outside and away from the stuffy air of the bar did he realize when he had started craving them again. When he had mentioned Vincent. And yet, back of the _Highwind_ when they had been together, Cid had barely felt that craving. Vincent's presence seemed to push it away.

Cid snorted. No, the reason was probably because he had been too busy to think about smoking. The thrill of their adventures had pushed cigarettes to the back of his mind. Cid had never been with anyone who could drive his nicotine fix away.

During his day, he called in at a few more houses to visit his townsfolk. They greeted him much like his friends at the tavern had, with smiles and open arms. He was force fed two apple pies, numerous drinks of tea (everyone in the town usually reserved tea for the Captain), cookies, more pies, and something Old Lady Gina referred to as her 'special recipe'. It came in a casserole dish but the ingredients would forever remain a mystery. Even taste couldn't identify them. After Cid left, his stomach gurgled begrudgingly at him.

It was dusk by the time he finally made it home. As he approached his front gate, he noticed the blinds were down but the kitchen light was on.

"Shera?" He called out as he entered, sliding his coat off.

Soft footsteps came from the stairs and Shera's gentle face appeared, brightening when she saw him. "Captain, I heard you were back in town. Welcome home." She moved to the kitchen countertop. "Let me make you some tea."

Kicking his boots off, he held up a hand. "Actually, I'll pass on tea. I just drank my fuckin' weight in tea."

Shera's lip tugged in amusement, but it faded quickly as she adopted a contemplative expression. "I didn't expect to see you so soon after last time. Is something wrong?"

Cid cursed mentally. She was too astute. "Can't I come back to my own damn house once in a while?"

She levelled a 'look' at him. "I know you too well, Captain. This adventure you're on is too important to just pop back home for a visit. Unless you've ran out of tea on the _Highwind_ I can't imagine what other emergency would pull you away." She paused. "Did you fall out with your friends?"

Cid blustered. "'Fall out with –'? I'm not a godsdamn kid, Shera! And no. Just think of it as shore leave. I'm just pickin' up a few things."

She watched him for a moment as he made his way into his engine room, following him. "Avi said you've been visiting everyone in town," she told him, a knowing lilt to her voice, eyebrows tugged inwards. Her next words were laced with a reluctance to ask, her voice pitch higher. "…Are you leaving us? For good?"

Cid paused. He didn't want to talk to anyone about the possibility he might not be back. Even if the world is saved, he might not survive. Who knows what's going to happen in that crater? Cid's shoulders dropped and he turned to face her. She blinked back, waiting.

"I ain't leavin', Shera," he told her, a note of exasperation in his tone, injecting as much nonchalance into this conversation as possible. He didn't want to upset her, he owed her more than worry and fear. He owed her a lot. "I'm just back for a couple of days while we plan our next move. Alright?" He added facetiously.

Shera smiled sadly. "Sometimes you can be a terrible liar, Captain…"

Cid pursed his lips. He forgot Shera was the smartest person he knew, she could read people. She could read _him_ like a book.

"You were saying goodbye to everyone…" Shera continued. "You don't expect to come back, do you?"

_Well, Damnit._ He sighed. "I'm hopin' I will. But I don't know," he admitted.

She was silent for a time, watching him sadly. Then she seemed to collect herself and forced a weak smile. "Well, if there's one thing I know about you, it's that when you commit, you see it through."

Cid stared at her, grateful. She could have said any number of things, begged him not to go, but she always knew what to say. She knew Cid far too well.

"Meteor's getting bigger every day," she added gravely. "We haven't much time left, have we?"

He shook his head. "No. A week at most. But if we beat Sephiroth we can stop Meteor."

Shera nodded in understanding. She knew Avalanche was the planet's one chance.

"In case we don't, though…" Cid began, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just want yer to know that I dunno what I would have done without you there. Yer know, after the rocket aborted. I would have probably just drunk myself to death or some stupid shit like that. But you didn't let me. So… thanks, Shera."

She touched his arm. "Thank me by coming back."

He would damn sure try.

/


	41. Reunited

**Journey**

/

The second day in Rocket Town crawled by, yet when it came time to leave, retrospectively it seemed Cid's stay had passed in the blink of an eye, and it almost felt difficult to step back onto the Lifeboat. The weak rays of the sinking sun stretched lengthily across the mountains as dusk quickly approached, but Meteor was getting bigger, turning night into an eerie day. The rain had stopped during the early morning, but the ground was still soggy. Slopping footsteps made their way to the open hatch and Shera's doleful brown eyes peered in.

"I'm proud of you," she said after a second's hesitation, slender fingers curling around the edge of the hatch frame. Her declaration made Cid pause his pre-flight prep and glance at her. "I just want you to know. Whatever you face in that crater, I want you to remember that. Not guilt, not shame; I don't want you to leave with these feelings. You were in a bad place for a while, but you've risen above it. And now you're saving the planet." She smiled, as though she was exposing a secret. "I'm so proud of you, Captain."

Cid stared at her, his words momentarily taken by hers. Despite living so close to each other, she was still able to surprise him.

Before he could respond, she gave her smile a reinforced tug, a little mock salute, and bid him goodbye. And then she was gone from the hatch. Cid felt half a grin growing lopsidedly, grateful for Shera's overall attitude to their impending apocalypse and knowing that, now, he would not let regret or shame hinder his mission – thanks to Shera's wise words he would focus clearer on the goal.

His flight back to the _Highwind_ was strangely emotionless. He thought he would feel some strings twanging with the thought he might never see his home again. But he was void of such feelings. He felt calm, set, determined. Whatever happens, happens.

He was the first to return. For some reason he had expected to find the entire team waiting for him, Barret tapping a foot impatiently, Yuffie offering a snarky comment, Cloud levelling a pleased gleam… and Vincent. Vincent in attendance. Cid's set and calm mood suddenly turned cold. He wouldn't see Vincent until after they'd saved the world. _If_ they saved the world.

"Cid," Tifa's voice brought him from his thoughts. She approached him in the corridor. "I'm glad to see you back." She gave him a warm smile.

"As if I'd let you guys go without me," he replied. "Besides, it's my ship. She ain't goin' anywhere without me."

The young woman followed him into the galley. "Did you find your reason?" She asked. "In Rocket Town?"

Cid pulled out a bottle of water and handed her a second. He took a sip before answering. "I know my reason. But it wasn't in Rocket Town."

Her brow twitched momentarily before an understanding passed across her features. She reached for his arm, stilling his motion. "He's not coming back, is he?"

He stared at her, surprised again by a woman's intuition. Was he that easy to read? Or was it just really obvious? "No…"

A touch of hurt and disappointment glimmered in her brown eyes. "I'm sorry, Cid," she said gently, squeezing his arm before letting go. "He made his decision, I'm sure he felt it was for the best. But I'll miss him."

Cid tsk'ed. "Better decision would have been to stay with us." He mooched over to the table and dropped into a chair, glaring mildly at the top. He couldn't let himself dwell on Vincent's leaving, it stung a little too fresh. "You and Cloud stayed on board for two days?"

Tifa sat down opposite him and nodded. "We wandered around the mountain pass, watched the sunset and sunrise, but we stayed close to the ship."

Cid took another gulp from his water. How long would they have to wait for everyone that wanted to return?

As if reading his thoughts, Tifa asked, "do you think the others will come back?"

He wondered vaguely why she was asking him, he was pretty sure she knew everyone better than he did, he had been the last to join the group, after all. But he realized she was genuinely unsure, and she was looking for a comfortable reassurance.

"I think so," he replied, but his words lacked strength and volume. He threw back another mouthful of water and banished any negative thoughts that circled his mind. He glanced back up to her. "What about yer bar in Midgar?" He asked. "Didn't yer wanna see that place again before we go?"

Tifa's eyes fell to the table and blinked pensively. "Yes and no, I guess. But, I wouldn't have found my reason for this fight there. That bar was my temporary home, I think if I went back it would be empty to me now." She sighed softly. "I was always waiting for Cloud to come back."

Cid watched her wordlessly, wondering how her life was before all of this. She was impressively dedicated to Cloud, but Cid still could not figure if it was in a romantic capacity or an amicable one. She was… unreadable in a way.

"By the way," Tifa brushed away their previous topic with a small smile. "Red came back. He's on the bridge."

Cid nodded, relieved to hear this. Red was a strong asset to the team, and Cid enjoyed his company. "That's good." They were just waiting for Barret and Yuffie now. And Cait Sith if Reeve wasn't too busy with a crumbling company.

As it was, an hour later, Cait Sith did indeed return. On a brand new, clean, white mog. The pair of robotic characters waddled into the galley with all the enthusiasm of an exuberant child. It seemed Reeve no more wanted to leave the team than Cid did.

"I wouldn't miss this fight for the world!" Cait exclaimed, pumping a little fist in the air. "Excuse my choice of words."

The tannoy system crackled to life and Barret's voice boomed throughout the ship. "Hey, can those of Avalanche _not_ on the bridge get their asses there now?!"

Cid felt a grin worming its way onto his face as he met Tifa's gaze. "Never a doubt that _he_ wasn't comin' back."

Together with Cait Sith, Cid and Tifa made their way from the gallery to the bridge. When they entered, the crewmen at their stations saluted the Captain, and, there at the glass dome, stood Barret, Cloud and Red.

"New mog, huh?" Barret gestured to Cait.

"Aye – I'm all suited up!"

"At least I won't be your mule anymore," Red sniped good-naturedly.

Glad of their presence back on board his airship, Cid felt warmer than he had all day. Their easy banter and energy gave him his own spirit, an eagerness to confront Sephiroth and prevent Meteor. These people – his friends – were like the family he never knew he needed. They had been through so much together, it seemed preposterous to think they wouldn't continue to the last leg of the mission all together.

"We've still got another two hours to wait for the others," Cloud announced, casting a look outside. "Then the two days are up."

Cid's mood dropped. There were no 'others' Only Yuffie.

"I don't think Vincent will be coming back," Tifa said quietly, a sad edge to her brow.

Cloud blinked at her. His blue eyes had gazed warmly around at his team but now they were lacking that light. They hardened taciturnly and concealed whatever he was really feeling. Perhaps he had suspected Vincent would leave them, he had steeled himself for such a possibility, and for that Cid envied his foresight. _He_ would feel a lot less shitty if he had stowed away his emotions, too.

No one questioned why Tifa suspected this, no one ventured an assumption as to why Vincent might not return. They had their educated guesses, and they were probably all right. But as Cid glanced around at their faces he could see the vague disappointment there, the disillusioned realization that they would be finishing the last leg of their journey without the full team.

"Well," Cid broke the heavy air, forcing away the disheartening ambience. "Ain't gonna stand here for two hours. Kick back for a little while longer. If the ninja brat don't turn up we're leavin'."

"I believe she will," Red commented optimistically as they began to exit the bridge.

"So do I," Tifa smiled down at him.

As Cid followed, hands in his pocket, he fell in step with Barret and a grasped at a thought that came to him. "Hey, lend me yer phone, will yer?" He asked, holding his hand out expectantly.

Barret automatically dug into his pocket for it. "What? Wanna phone Shera already? You only just saw her, right?"

"Yer think Shera's the _only_ person I know outside of you guys?" Cid bemoaned with a hint of cynicism.

Barret half rolled his eyes and handed over his phone.

Cid deviated from his friends' target location – the galley – and headed to his cabin, waving off their requests that he get back there and join them. He stepped up to his door a minute later and paused, casting his eye down the dimly lit corridor. Instead of entering his room he walked along until he came to Vincent's cabin. _Vincent's old cabin. _He keyed in his override commands and the door SWOOSHED open, revealing the dark room. He stepped in and flicked on the light. At first glance it didn't look like anyone had occupied it in a while. The bed was made and there was no mess or items neglected on the various surfaces. However, as Cid moved to the bed and sat down he noticed, on closer inspection, that there _were_ actually signs that someone had slept here: Scratches in the nightstand and shallow gouges in the bed board. He ran his fingertips along them, suspecting Vincent had been having nightmares. Had he ever wanted to tell Cid about them? Would Cid have even been able to console him? He'd never dealt with that kind of mental damage before. No one had ever really relied on him for his powers of comforting – probably because he didn't have them. But maybe for Vincent he could have.

Cid lay down across the bed and stared at the ceiling. He clutched Barret's phone in hand and brought it to eye level. Should he? He flicked it open and hesitated. No. He closed it and dropped it on the mattress beside him. Just no… Cid closed his eyes and wished the two hours was up.

As if in answer to him the ships speakers activated. "Captain, Miss Kisaragi had returned."

The last of them was back. Cid felt glad the young ninja had returned to them, but he didn't want to be there when she asked where Vincent was.

He stood up from the bed and spoke into the wall communicator unit. "Copy that," he said.

"Shall we set a course for the Northern Crater, Sir?"

Cid opened his mouth and paused. Now that they had their last confirmed member there was no need to stay. Yet Cid couldn't give the order. There was still almost two hours left and for some reason Cid couldn't leave.

"Sir?"

"No, hold position until those two hours are up," Cid ordered. He could imagine his teammates, in the galley, frowning at each other as they wondered why he wanted to linger when they had everybody. _Because maybe there's a chance…_

He flopped back down on the bed, unwilling to return to his own room. His friends would probably come a-knocking, asking why the delay, and he didn't feel like trying to explain. Damnit, somewhere deep down inside of him there was a little ember of hope.

Cid lay there for an unknown amount of time, replaying his and Vincent's secret moments together, the time he taught the man how to use pole arms and the three times the gunman saved his life. When he finally drew himself from his own head and looked at the digital clock on the nightstand, he found he had just dozed his way through two hours. Almost.

"Shit," he whispered to himself as he sat up and rubbed his face. One of his crew would be calling again to confirm their flight path in about fifteen minutes. Wanting to wait out the last of the hour in some fresh air, Cid left the cabin and made his way to the outer deck, bumping into Berto.

"Captain," he acknowledged as the blond joined him against the balustrade. "Almost time to leave," he announced, turning his eyes back to Rocket Town. The sun had risen to a full circle and the air was crisp. "Are you still waiting on another member of your group?"

Cid rested his elbows on the wood. "Yeah, I guess," he admitted with a sigh. "But I ain't holdin' my hopes up too high."

"I don't envy what you guys are going to do," his crewman said. "But I sure as hell respect you for it." He grinned.

"Respect us when we get back," Cid gave him a quick, sidelong smile.

Berto chuckled and shifted away from the balustrade. His broken arm was still in a sling so he gave a small salute with the other. "I'll announce when the time is up." He disappeared back inside.

For the remaining fifteen minutes, Cid gazed across the land, trying to convince himself he wasn't scouring the green wilds for a flash of crimson while he ran through cigarette after cigarette. Time was up.

As promised, Berto contacted him on his communicator. "Captain, two hours are over. Can we resume a course for the northern crater?"

With nothing left to stall, Cid agreed. Before the ship could begin to glide away from his town he left the outer deck, pushing down the heavy feeling in his gut. The waiting game was over, now they were moving to intercept their target. Sephiroth was waiting for them.

"Captain, are you done on the outer deck? Hatch isn't locked." Came Berto's voice over the speakers.

Already on the deck outside the bridge, Cid frowned and yelled, "I'm here – gimme a second to check it." And then to himself he muttered, "always lock that hatch." Damnit, he was walking around in a daze. He had to get his game head on or he would be instant Sephiroth fodder.

He returned to the hatch and sure enough the lock hadn't been set. He took care of it with swift fingers, resulting in a confirming beep, and a few seconds later the humming of the ships engines resonated through the floor, signaling her acceleration. They were on their way.

"ETA of the Northern Crater, six hours," Berto's voice called over the speakers.

Too long, and yet not long enough. Cid's feet took him away from the bridge, his default destination, and back down to the cabin quarters, encountering no one along the way. It was strangely silent throughout the ship, and as the lighting dimmed on his current deck a strange, numbing mood overtook the pilot. He found himself in front of the visual panels. They were displaying a set of interlinked skies with various cloud formations rolling along, mimicking the speed of the airship. If he ignored the fact that they were digital, he could almost believe he was watching the true sky outside. When he had last stood in front of these he had confronted Vincent after seeing his Galian form for the first time. He remembered the panels had been displaying lush landscapes back then.

He squeezed Barret's phone in his pocket and pulled it out. It was pretty much the same as his but a slightly different color. Cid flipped it open and scrolled for his name; it was between 'Biggs' and 'Cloud'. His thumb hovered over the call button. What would he say if Vincent answered? 'Why the hell didn't yer return – even when yer said you wouldn't?' 'Hey babe, 'sup?' Cid's brow twitched and just as he was about the put the phone away his thumb made the decision for him and pushed the button. Cid watched the little screen inform him it was connecting. Just as he heard the dialing tone from the device, the sound of a ringing phone echoed through the corridor.

Cid frowned and turned. _That bastard left my phone when I told him to keep it!_ He immediately thought. But Vincent hadn't reentered the _Highwind_ after he disappeared two days ago. He hadn't left it.

Because Vincent stepped from the shadows of the corridors with the phone in his hand. His glowing red gaze held Cid's gaping eyes as he flipped open the phone, held it to his ear and said very deliberately, "hello Cid."

Cid stared. The echo of Vincent's voice from Barret's phone was unnoticed as the man halted a few feet away, phone still at his ear and his expression one of guarded anticipation.

Vincent was here.

He'd come back.

Cid unfroze. "You took yer sweet _fuckin'_ time, didn't yer?!" He exploded. "And yer waited 'til the _last_ second to get yer ass back here!" He seethed for a second, allowing the sudden burst of anger to peak and then fall. Barely a second passed for his mood to switch. Cid's mouth split into a smirk as he grabbed the gunman's collar and crushed their lips together. It was needy and hard, but damn did it lift his spirits. A surge of warmth and something ridiculously gratifying bloomed from the seal of their mouths, and Cid vaguely wondered how he had existed previously without this. Somehow the hand holding Barret's phone had wound its way around Vincent's head and through his hair, and the other had released the cape in favor of groping the side of that flawless face. When they parted for air Cid chased his lips for more, finding a mild craving for that stupid giddy touch, and only when his need for answers became unavoidable did he pull away. "What made yer come back?"

Vincent had lowered his – Cid's – phone, his hair a little disheveled and lips satisfyingly flushed. He didn't answer immediately, choosing his words or perhaps reorganizing his vocabulary after it was literally jarred out of him. "Realization," he answered. "I may not have committed myself to this team, but I have discovered a new loyalty along the way." He blinked softly, letting a moment pass before continuing. "I don't like the risk that I pose to Avalanche, but I couldn't deny your words. No matter how much I tried. You were right," he added. "If ever there was another incident, no one else could stop me. No one but you."

"Yer damn right," Cid said quietly, unwilling to disrupt the calm air that had fallen between them.

"But it was not the only realization," Vincent admitted, his deep voice gentle, accentuating the pleasant temperament that had overtaken Cid, his breath ticking the pilot's face. "You've shone me how to be human again, and I didn't realize just what that meant to me until I'd left." He closed his eyes, his brow furrowing as something unpleasant breached the surface of his thoughts. "You have come to mean so much to me, that the thought of you against Sephiroth… frightens me." He opened his eyes and they were fierce, baring his soul brazenly. Those words had been difficult for him to admit. Vincent was afraid of nothing except perhaps his own inner darkness, but now he had inadvertently gained a new fear; the fear of losing Cid. "I have saved your life three times… What if I am meant to save it once more? My place is in this team. With you."

Cid allowed his words to settle in the air. _To protect _you, was what he knew Vincent wanted to add. There was more that Vincent wasn't saying, that he didn't know how or wasn't ready to, but what he _had_ said was more than Cid could have hoped for. For a man who revealed as little as possible about himself, who couldn't express things anymore, he had proven his progress. It struck Cid deeply.

"You're my light," Vincent added, and there was a very ambiguous emphasis on his words that the pilot felt he should have understood. Vincent seemed amused by his ignorance, though.

"What about Sephiroth?" Cid questioned, giving attention to the questions churning around in his head. "Can yer go against him? He's the son of the woman yer loved." He paused. "Love?"

Vincent shook his head. "I did love her… I still care for her. But she is gone, and as much as it is still difficult to accept, she is the past. I think I knew I would eventually have to face Sephiroth. He is the experiment I couldn't stop nearly three decades ago. Now I have a chance to put it right."

"We all do," Cid reminded him. The silence that followed was comforting, but he could think of the perfect words to break it with. "I'm glad yer back." Sincerity was a tone that rarely accompanied Cid's words, but it was there, clear and meaningful.

Vincent noticed. Of course he did. He gave Cid a warm expression and finally folded the open phone in his hand. "I have no need for this now," he said, offering it back.

Cid took it back slowly, unable to think of any reason to void Vincent's statement and hand it back to him. If he no longer needed it, he would always be in call shot.

That was good enough.

Letting a sigh loose, Cid cupped the back of Vincent's head and pressed their foreheads together. He closed his eyes, catching the scent of leather, rain water and mossy grass. "I'm still pissed, though," he muttered, a slight smile playing at his lips. He didn't want to admit he had felt a truly unpleasant coldness when Vincent had left him, he didn't want to reveal anything that would make him sound needy and any less than what his reputation dictated. But he wanted to _want_ to. _Women have it so easy…_

They retreated to the Captain's cabin, preferring that to standing in the corridor, deciding they would inform the others that the gunman had returned later. Right now, Cid wanted personal time together.

"How far did yer get?" Cid asked as Vincent shut the door behind him, and Cid shucked off his jacket. "Before yer turned back?"

Vincent sat down wearily on the edge of the mattress. "Nibel Mountain range. The rain accompanied me the entire way."

Cid smirked at his misfortune and kicked off his boots, before taking an exaggerated jump onto the bed (which creaked angrily). He grinned childishly and rolled his head into the groove of his pillow, finding a comfortable position. When he looked over, Vincent was watching him with an eyebrow raised. Cid patted the spot beside him.

"Lay down with me," he asked more calmly. "C'mon."

Vincent didn't move, regarding the place next to the pilot with a mildly calculated expression. And then he stood, stepped closer along the bed, sat down and settled himself beside Cid with his hands loosely threaded on his belly. Their shoulders bumped.

Cid felt a smile worming its way onto his face. He reached across and tucked the cape mantle below Vincent's chin, nodding in approval now he could see more than his eye. Vincent gave him a sidelong look.

"So, yer trust me, huh?" Cid said, pressing the side of his face into the pillow so he could gaze at the gunman's perfect profile. "To bring yer back if that demon ever pops out again?"

Vincent eye flickered across the ceiling. "I do. Even if I didn't I wouldn't have a lot of choice."

"Gee, thanks."

Vincent's head shifted to look at him better. "I trust you, Cid. I haven't said that to anyone is a very, very long time." He paused. "Even before the experiments."

Remembering Tifa's words, the pilot smiled anew. "Well, even if we don't come away from this with any riches, I'll take _that_ as my fortune."

"Riches?"

"Yeah, yer know, every quest usually has loot somewhere along the way, usually at the end."

"Unless Sephiroth has developed a compulsion to horde valuables I think you may be disappointed."

Cid laughed easily. "That'd be an easy defeat; we'll just throw somethin' expensive and attack while he's turned."

Vincent gave one of his humored semi-smiles. "The most valuable object I can recognize is your airship. I can't even hazard a guess to her worth."

For some reason the use of his baby's pronoun sent something sparking through his core. Cid fell a little bit harder for the man beside him. "She's priceless," he said. "And there ain't no way I'm throwin' her at that crazy bastard."

"If you did perhaps our fight would be over more quickly."

Cid eyed the gunman, failing to suppress a grin. Vincent had a sense of humor when it was coaxed from him. "That'd be a disappointin' entry in the history books."

"Better than no entry."

"The best entry would be 'and thus Sephiroth shit his pants and surrendered.'"

Vincent's smile twitched a little wider. He said nothing for a few moments as his eyes flitted across the pilot's face, before shifting onto his side smoothly and propping his cheek on his knuckles. He looked down on Cid. "Where do you find your strength?" He mused, as though the question was an intriguing conundrum he had been pondering for a while.

Cid fingered the long lock of hair that had tumbled onto his collarbone. "Here and there," he answered flippantly. "A lot of it just appeared in the corridor outside."

Vincent reflected on his answer, then he lowered his face and kissed him, slowly and deliberately. Cid gladly obliged, lifting his hand higher to cup the man's chin as they encouraged more from each other. He tasted something pleasantly earthy, an edible root, maybe, that Vincent had eaten. Cid explored deeper, chasing the gunman's tongue, feeling the power of the kiss increase, build to something needier, more demanding. Vincent pushed, seeking more than he had dared take in the past, and Cid gave. The tiny gap between them on the bed had disappeared, bodies pressed close. They barely broke away to breathe, gasping in each other's air. This was not the same as Vincent's other advances, there was a desire quivering in his touch that told Cid he sought a much more intimate connection. But whether or not he could allow himself closer, that kind of physical touch, was a matter of his state of mind. Hojo had violated his body with torture, how was that going to affect him?

Intense heat had pooled in his navel, and Cid knew that if he didn't stop he was going to be sporting a pretty impressive hard-on. Not that he wanted to stop – hell, Vincent certainly didn't seem to want to stop. The fervor of his actions was fueling the fire within Cid; did he know what he was doing to him? The hand of his gauntlet had absently found its way to Cid's chest, the talons resting gently. He could feel the points through his shirt, but if anything they enhanced his arousal. He was vaguely aware his own fingers had combed through the back of Vincent's hair, curling and unfurling. His mind was somewhere high above cloud nine.

So it came as an unpleasant shock when the airship's warning alarms shrieked through the cabin. Both men parted, and a second later the airship jerked hard, almost throwing them to the floor. Vincent's gauntlet had fisted Cid's shirt to hold him.

"Crew to stations!" Came Berto's voice over the speaker system. "We're being attacked by a Weapon!"

"Shit," Cid hissed as he and Vincent clambered to their feet. Way to kill a budding boner.

They raced onto the bridge a minute later at almost the same time as the rest of Avalanche.

"Vincent?" Tifa gaped, momentarily thrown.

"Vincent?" Yuffie echoed, turning to look.

Barret executed what would have been a comical double take if the situation allowed it. "Where the hell did you come from? I thought ya'd left!"

"He did, he's back, catch up later," Cid told them quickly as he rushed to the helm. He signaled Liza to cut off the alarms and took his station beside Kejon, the trainee pilot.

"It came out of nowhere," Berto exclaimed, staring hard at his monitor, watching the readings as the Weapon circled them.

"It's coming around again!" Yuffie yelled from her lookout by the dome glass.

The _Highwind_ dodged it once again, pitching everyone to the left. The Weapon roared as it flew by, blocking out the sun for a second. Its slipstream rocked the ship.

"It doesn't like us," Red stated ominously, watching after the monster. "This ship is powered by mako."

"Well it can kiss my fuckin' ass," Cid growled, swinging his ship around to gain a better visual.

But to their surprise it began to fly away, seemingly ignoring them as it snaked through the air towards the ground. They watched it warily as it glided lower and lower, until, with a start they realized there was a settlement down there, a town. The Weapon dived. In one fell swoop it landed with a mighty earthquake, immediately devastating half the town. Dust and smoke billowed into the air.

"What the hell?!" Barret swore.

"Those people!" Cait cried.

Cid didn't think, he turned the airship and set a course straight for the Weapon.

"Why is it attacking _them_?" Tifa gripped the railing hard, staring at the scene of terror as the Weapon continued to destroy the town. "There's no mako reactor there!"

"Ultimate Weapon," Vincent spoke, earning everyone's attention. "It attacks and destroys any threat it perceives."

Cid glanced at him quickly, hoping that, with their proximity to the monster, his eyes had not turned golden. That would worry the others. Fortunately they were still red.

"Humans are the threat to the planet," Cait summed.

"Everybody, prepare yourselves," Cloud ordered, securing his sword. "Cid, can we fire missiles without harming the town?"

"I wouldn't risk it," the pilot answered. "But there ain't much of that town left, so…"

To their horror they saw he was right. The Weapon had ploughed through buildings and streets, laying waste to whatever caught its eye. Fires reached into the air, black smoke obscured the true impact, and as they soared closer they could see people fleeing, flailing about, and others lying dead on the ground.

As though it had lost interest, the Weapon hunched and sprung into the air, flying away from the ruined, burning town in pursuit of another to destroy. It didn't seem bothered by the _Highwind_ anymore.

"What should we do?" Yuffie demanded, looking torn. "If it's going to kill more should we follow it? Or help those people down there?"

"I'll try and send help from within the company," Cait said. "We have people on this continent that can help – even with all the mess that happened to the company they shouldn't ignore this catastrophe."

"We have to follow the Weapon," Cloud decided for them. "If it's looking for more places to destroy we have to prevent it. Or others will suffer like that." He stared hard at the Weapon as it flew into atmospheric clouds. It was fast, the _Highwind_ had to push her top speeds to keep up. They followed it into the opaque whiteness, relying on the ship's instruments to guide them.

"Okay, support is on its way to that town," Cait announced. Reeve was probably working his ass off to keep up with Shinra's falling, but he still managed to give precedence to civilian causes.

"Weapon has stopped, sir!" Liza called from her station. "We're on a collision cor –"

Before she could finish the alarms wailed once again, and from the misty white view outside the massive bulk of the monster emerged.

Cid's heart leapt into his throat as he wrenched the wheel around and someone yelled in fright. But the _Highwind_'s diversion wasn't sharp enough and her outer hull scraped painfully into the armor-like skin of the Weapon. It roared angrily as the ship shuddered on impact, rocking like a distressed boat in water.

"SHIT! Cid cringed at the sound, knowing she had taken on external damage. Weapon swung out of view as the _Highwind_ turned away.

"It's moving away!" Liza informed him. "Change of course!"

"Everyone still standin'?" Cid called out.

The sound of Yuffie throwing up somewhere behind was the first answer. Cloud was clutching his stomach and leaning on the railing. _Ah yeah, he don't like air travel much, either._

"Why did it stop in midair?" Red asked curiously, returning to his stance by the glass.

Cid set a pursuing course, patting his station top apologetically. "Sorry baby." He placed his hand back on the wheel. "Adjustin' course. Let's take this bastard down. And can we expand the radius of the short range sensors?" He added irritably. "That was way too close."

"Yes Sir."

As they accelerated forward they cleared the cloud mass and burst into clear sky. Ultimate Weapon had pulled ahead.

"There's something that I don't get," Yuffie said suddenly, eyebrows furrowed slightly. "If Ultimate Weapon attacks and destroys threats, why hasn't it finished _us_ off?" She glanced around at them all. "I mean, it's attacked us twice and we just _rammed_ it, and each time it flew away. But we're a threat, right? Why won't it fight us?"

Everyone considered her question with serious thought, all looking stumped. Except Vincent. Cid narrowed a suspicious eye at the expression flickering across his face. He knew.

"Maybe because we fight back?" Red offered a guess. "We are not an easy target?"

Cloud looked gravely perplexed. His fingers wrapped around the railing absently as he stared after the Weapon's retreating form. "No… There's gotta be something else… Is Aerith protecting us again, somehow…?"

Vincent had now caught Cid's questioning squint. He seemed to relent and although unheard, and judging by the slight fall of his chest, gave a sigh. "It is confused." He spoke up in answer. Several eyes turned to him again. "It senses one of its own kind on board..."

It took a second for everyone to register what he meant.

"Ooooooh," Yuffie chimed.

"So it attacks and then senses you?" Barret confirmed. "Or the thing inside of you."

"Yes." Vincent replied. "We have never seen these creatures attack their own, perhaps they don't."

"But it attacked us in Mideel," Yuffie argued. "And you were there."

"It could see me. I assume it could choose whether or not to attack me individually, but when I assaulted it first, it retaliated. As any creature would."

"I think that's the most I've heard you say," the young ninja mused.

"That's kinda good news," Tifa said positively.

"Kinda?" Cid echoed. "It's fuckin' great news – my baby's got insurance! Valentine style!"

"Well, let's see how it still feels about attacking its own when we unleash a few missiles on it," Barret countered with a cautionary tone.

They all looked out, in unison, at the Weapon. It was getting further away.

"Now that we have time to talk," Tifa turned from the glass and looked at Vincent. "How did you get on board?"

"And what made you come back?" Yuffie followed up quickly, eagerly.

Vincent's eyes shifted from each girl, but before he could answer Cid cut across.

"Hey, who cares? All that matters is he's back."

"I'm curious," Yuffie shot at him, pouting. "I wanted to know what a mysterious guy like Vinnie is fighting for."

"'Vinnie'?" Barret crinkled the side of his nose.

"None of yer business," Cid told her. "Just like we ain't askin' you what your reason is – and we don't wanna know," he added as she opened her mouth to, no doubt, reveal her reason.

"You're such a mean, bad-tempered old man," Yuffie sniped.

"I'm thirty-two!"

"That's _ancient_."

"Hey!" Both Barret and Cait Sith called indignantly.

Cid shook his head. "This shit is _not_ what I came back for."

"Hey…" Cloud's voice drew attention from the little spat. "Have you noticed we seem to be back over Rocket Town Area?"

Cid checked his coordinates. They were.

"Where is this Weapon going?" Cait asked no one in particular.

"I hope it's not goin' _to_ Rocket Town…" Cid said with growing concern.

They were all silent as they watched its flight. It never made any indication that it knew they were following, nor did it make any hint as to what it was specifically searching for. If it wanted to destroy towns and civilizations, surely it would go to the nearest one present: Rocket Town?

After a few worrying minutes, Liza called out, "it appears to have passed by Rocket Town. Unless it turns east, it's not going anywhere near."

That was good news. But where was it going? It was still pulling ahead, growing smaller and smaller in the distance as the airship tried to keep up.

Barret looked across at Liza. "It's not heading for Corel, is it?"

She shook her head, eyes on her panel. "From the looks of its current flight trajectory, no. But that doesn't mean it won't change course."

"It's heading away from the Northern Crater," Red realized. "Is it trying to lure us away?"

This new theory threw everyone into a deeply pensive silence. Why would it do that? It couldn't have known the airship was planning to confront Sephiroth, and even if it did, why would it want to stop them?

"No," Cloud said slowly, thinking. "If it didn't want us there it would have destroyed us."

"Um, hello?" Yuffie said loudly, pointedly jabbing her finger in Vincent's direction. "It doesn't _want_ to destroy us."

"The Weapons should want Sephiroth dead," Barret thought aloud. "Why haven't they attacked him already? We kinda just assumed they couldn't get to him because of the barrier, but that's gone…"

"Maybe they are afraid of Sephiroth," Red said. It was a chilling thought.

"Or maybe they really can't detect his connection to the threat of the planet," Tifa suggested gravely, eyebrows tugging inward. She glanced up at Meteor in the sky.

"Captain," Liza voice floated from behind again. "I think it might be heading towards Nibelheim…"

"The mako reactor," Tifa said. "But it's in the mountains, so the town will be safe, right?"

Cait looked up at her. "Not if it decides to decimate that, too."

"Cid, can you fire those missiles, yet?" Cloud asked, an edge of concern in his voice. His hometown might be inhabited with lies and deceit, but it was still his place of birth.

"Too far away," the pilot shook his head regretfully.

Cloud looked back at the distant Weapon. The only way to catch up was if it stopped…

Almost an hour later it disappeared from sight altogether, having pulled ahead too much for a visual connection. No one had moved from the bridge, and no one had much spoken. If it was indeed targeting Nibelheim it would reach it long before the _Highwind_, and by then it would be too late.

"I feel like we should be going in the opposite direction," Barret muttered uncertainly during a bout of silence among the team. "I know we've got five days left, but that's 'til Meteor hits. What if after two more days it can't be stopped? What if we chase this bastard for longer?"

"We ain't chasin' Weapon for _days_," Cid told him, smoking a cigarette despite his usual rules against smoking on the bridge. He had left the wheel to Kejon and stood beside Vincent on the lower level. "My airship'll probably run out of fuel after another full day of use."

"Maybe that's its ploy," Yuffie said suspiciously, narrowing her eyes in thought but without much conviction. She had taken to leaning against the wall with a trashcan in easy reach. "It's trying to drain the ship."

"Long range sensors show it has almost reached Nibelheim," Liza updated. "We won't arrive for over another hour."

Cid cursed. He glanced at Cloud and Tifa, but they were gazing distantly out at the mountains ahead, watching the horizon forever taunt them.

"It stopped," Liza announced suddenly. She tapped a few buttons of her monitor. "Over the mountains."

"It's at the reactor," Cloud stated emotionlessly.

How long would it take to demolish that and move on?

The next ninety-odd minutes dragged by with little conversation. Were they doing the right thing by chasing Ultimate Weapon? Would they be able to defeat it? Would they even be able to catch up to it?

They passed over the reactor, and sure enough it was in ruins. Smoke billowed from the unrecognizable shell and debris lay strewn everywhere. Sensors had shown the Weapon leaving about half an hour ago, and was continuing to head south. Had it destroyed Nibelheim in that time?

As the airship approached the area, an audible sigh of relief floated from Tifa and her shoulders deflated visibly.

Nibelheim was still standing.

The question was, why?

"Too few inhabitants to be seen as a threat?" Red guessed.

"Possibly," Cait said.

"We continue following the bastard?" Cid asked, tipping his chin up at Cloud.

The young blond pondered for a second, not unlike the manner in which Vincent did, and then he nodded. "If we let it go it could keep killing people until we defeat Sephiroth. And even then it may not stop."

"Any word on _other_ Weapons?" Barret asked Cait. The little cat shook his head in answer.

A further period of time later readings from the long range sensors informed them Ultimate Weapon had stopped once again. But it didn't appear to be near any towns. Strange.

It took the _Highwind_ another hour to catch up to it. The monster grew into view, larger and larger as they flew towards it. It was hovering in midair, wings beating fiercely as it held itself aloft. Its attention was drawn to something below.

"What is it doing?" Yuffie pressed close to the glass. "What's down there?"

It appeared to be a circular body of water sat nestled in what looked like a large crater. The water snaked out of the earthen basin and continued south. On the opposite side was the source, a waterfall, feeding the lake from a river.

"Within missile range, Captain."

Cid jogged back to the higher deck. "Good. Lock on target and fire two. Let's see what kinda damage it takes."

"And how much we piss it off," Barret said under his breath.

The airship vibrated as two missiles deployed, shooting through the air at incredible speeds. The Weapon didn't have chance to move. Both missiles struck, jerking the monster in midair. It shrieked in rage and pain and plummeted for a second before righting itself. When the smoke streamed away, two noticeable impact scars were visible.

"Yeah!" Yuffie exclaimed, and promptly doubled over clutching the trashcan.

"Fire another two!" Cid ordered.

The second wave hit their target, too, enraging the monster into a frenzy. It hefted itself back into the air and faced them full on, its eyes glowing with malice.

"_Cid_," Vincent warned.

The pilot glanced at him quickly, catching sight of his expression. "Evasive maneuvers!" He quickly ordered.

A potent beam of blue light exploded from the core of the Weapon, impacting the side of the airship's hull as she twisted away. Had she not moved at all the beam would have struck the center and any number of things could have happened to her.

"That was _close_," Yuffie gasped, on her knees where she had fallen in the tight turn.

"It's retreating!" Liza called.

"After we blew four holes in it?" Barret sounded incredulous.

"Follow it!" Cait pointed at the fleeing Weapon.

"Wait," Tifa said loudly, gazing down at the water. "What was it looking at?"

"Who cares, it's getting away," Barret leaned against the glass as the monster disappeared from view.

"It's… it's gone!" Liza exclaimed. "It just literally zoomed off my radar!"

Cid raised his eyebrows. "What? How the hell did it do that?"

His crewmember shook her head. "I don't know, but long range scanners have detected an _extremely_ fast object heading south. I can't even guess what speed it's going! It's, like, halfway to Cosmo Canyon!"

"That's impossible," Cid stared. "To go that fast…"

"Speed has just decreased… in fact, it's stopped again." Liza looked up. "Do you think it was a spur of energy? Like a defensive burst of speed. It might have burnt itself out."

"It'll take us _hours_ to reach it!" Cid growled, annoyed that after their long pursuit it resulted in nothing. Well, almost; at least they knew missiles could hurt it. "Damnit!"

"It'll need time to recuperate," Red said, stepping closer to the pilot. "Perhaps we have time before it decides to seek out any more towns."

Cid ran an angry hand through his hair, catching his goggles. "Yer better contact Cosmo Canyon and warn 'em."

Red nodded, and he bounded out of the bridge to the communications cabin.

Cid exhaled and propped his hands on his hips, looking out at the horizon line. How in the hell did anything move that fast? Even for a Weapon that was beyond impressive.

Movement caught his eye. Vincent had stepped onto the upper deck and moved past him to the glass dome. His usual presence there drew everyone else's attention as his eyes darted over the water below them.

"There is something down there," he said.

Cid moved beside him, studying his face. "What do yer sense?"

"I am unsure. But Ultimate Weapon sensed it, too."

Looking down at the beautiful blue water, Cid had to wonder just what was hiding beneath the surface. This area was unknown to him. He looked across at Cloud.

"We should check it out," Cloud answered, glancing back. "If Weapon is recovering, we might have time to find out what it detected."

Yuffie stood up. "We're going down there?"

"Yes."

Cid looked back at Vincent. His eyes had not left the crater below.

/


	42. Lucrecia

**Journey**

/

**AN**: A mix of FF7 and DOC flashbacks ahoy. I took some creative liberties with this chapter. Also, Journey has just passed a quarter of a million words, booyah!

/

"I want someone monitorin' that Weapon at all times," Cid told his crew as he stepped out onto the outer deck. "If it so much as twitches, inform me."

"Sir," Berto acknowledged.

Cid turned to the rest of his team. They waited patiently for him, shadowed from the bright sun by the bulk of the _Highwind_. The airship had descended into the crater and hovered smoothly several meters above the rocky terrain. The noise of the waterfall was loud; at a closer proximity it was a huge, churning entity. Wind kicked up around them, sending uplifted spray into the air.

"Ready?" Cloud asked.

Cig gave a nod, signaling their go. Cloud leapt from the balustrade, quickly followed by the rest in much of their usual order. The pilot glanced back at Berto before he could disappear back inside. "Assess the damage she took to the outer body," he said. "I don't think it did anythin' harmful but just in case."

"Of course, Captain."

And with his orders done, Cid dropped off the deck after his friends, landing heavily on the uneven ground. At this level, the other side of the lake appeared miles away. He wondered if this was all just a waste of time. What if the damn Weapon had just been resting above this lake? Still, Vincent sensed something, and he wouldn't deviate from their course unless it was worth checking out. Cloud wouldn't chance it, either.

"This place is kinda pretty," Yuffie commented, shielding her eyes with her palm to gaze across the water. Her bandana tails fluttered around her as the wind took ahold of them.

Cid glanced around. He supposed there was an aesthetic appeal to the area. Where the land was more level lush, green grass grew around the circumference of the lake shore, contrasting against the white color of the rock. The waterfall sold it, really.

"So, what are we looking for?" Cait Sith queried as his mog hopped up and over jagged rocks.

"Over there," Vincent directed their attentions, eying the waterfall meaningfully.

From their location, just visible between the rocky wall and the tumbling water was a deep, dark shadow. A cave. Curious, Avalanche made towards it, keen to see what Ultimate Weapon had (possibly) found interesting. Cid didn't particularly care, now that he had a few minutes free from Weapon his thoughts were running back to his cabin, when he and Vincent had been getting pretty hot and steamy. Why had that damn monster chosen _then_ of all times to attack? Bastard thing. If it hadn't, how far would they had gone?

Dragging himself from his potentially erotic thoughts, Cid wiped away the spray that dappled his face as they came to the cave entrance. The passage through was big enough to avoid the main body of the waterfall, and they slipped past one by one into a dark, cool cavern. The water echoed around them, yet as they travel further in, it began to dull quite noticeably, as though something was dampening the sound. An unknown glow guided them from deep within, and they followed it to find the source of light.

"Wow," Yuffie awed, stepping past Cid to gaze at the stunning discovery.

Beautiful blue crystals grew in clusters all around the cave, casting an ethereal light around. There appeared to be a deeper network of smaller caverns further in, but only in this chamber were there gemstones. In the center was a circular body of shallow water, reflecting everything like a perfect mirror. And in the middle stood the brightest cluster of crystals, reaching for the cave ceiling.

Tifa stepped forward slowly, eyes on it. "There's someone _inside_ that…" she said with hushed astonishment.

Cid squinted, his eyes adjusting to the brightness emanating from the structure. Inside was the unmistakable shape of a human body.

"Sephiroth…" Echoed a soft disembodied voice.

Chills ran down Cid's spine as Cloud's hand immediately reached for his sword. However, out the corner of Cid's eye, he noticed Vincent stiffen.

"…iroth…"

Cid's eyes found themselves locking onto the shape inside the crystal. The voice resonated around them as though it had no origin, but it _had_ to be because of the figure. The pilot blinked as Vincent brushed past him suddenly, past Cloud.

"That voice…" He said disbelievingly. "It can't be…" And then he said the name Cid would never have expected to hear. "Lucrecia?"

Before their eyes a ghostly image formed, a woman standing before the little pool of water. She was utterly beautiful. Her long, brown hair was pulled high into a ponytail, her bangs falling across her flawless face. She wore an outfit fit for a Goddess, white and pure, wrapping around her slim figure in three pieces of fabric. Her form solidified, but glowed with an inhuman quality. Cid couldn't tear his gaze away.

The woman leveled her eyes on the gunman; something painful and familiar flashed across them. "…Vincent?"

This woman was really Lucrecia? How in all of Gaia was she here?

Vincent started forward. "Lucrecia –"

But the young woman stepped away and cried, "stay back!"

The cavern began to glow brightly, and from where she stood a familiar, overwhelming whiteness washed out over everything, blotting out all shape and color. Just like Sephiroth had done to them. Cid clamped his eyes shut as a jolt ran up his spine, preparing him for a fight or flight mode. He heard Barret curse and Cait utter something incoherent. Two seconds later the intensity of the light began to diminish and Cid cracked open his eyelids. Immediately tensed in alarm at the déjà vu setting, predicting another Sephiroth attack, but this Nibelheim wasn't burning. And there were unfamiliar people already present. It was another vision. Another illusion.

Cid looked around to find his team by his side – and almost cried out. They were see-through! Cid brought his hand up and gaped at its transparency. Why the hell? He glanced up quickly to Vincent. The woman, Lucrecia, had disappeared, but what really caught Cid's attention was the gunman's expression. He was staring, wide-eyed and furious, at the strange people. Cid followed his gaze just as the group of two men and one woman began walking away through Nibelheim, talking amongst themselves. He recognized two of them; Professor Hojo and Lucrecia herself, all dressed in a white laboratory coat each. The third man looked to be the same age as Hojo, sporting square glasses and short brown hair. They all seemed… happy. When the hell was this? Hojo looked the same age as when they last saw him.

"Vincent, what is this?" Cloud asked, turning his gaze from the trio. Vincent either didn't hear him or ignored him, his attention focused upon the two men and women. Cloud gestured for Avalanche to follow them, his expression wary and on alert. Last time they were here it didn't end so well. Everything untoward seemed to take place in this little town.

No sooner had they followed the three scientists through the small town and out towards the Shinra Mansion did the scene fade. Only this transition didn't white everything out, it merely blurred around them and deposited the team into a different environment.

They were inside what Cid could only guess was the mansion, in a large, impersonal room with a dark decorum and a short row of ornately paned windows. By those was a single table and a couple of chairs. A flame-lit lantern sat atop it. In the middle of the room stood a woman, Lucrecia, in her long, white coat and a different ensemble underneath. Cid couldn't stop staring at her. Even he could see some the genetic resemblance Sephiroth had inherited in the bangs, the sheer length of hair, and the elegant shape of the face. But nowhere in any of his features had he inherited Hojo's genes.

The sound of someone approaching drew closer and Cid, along with the others, turned to watch a young man enter. Cid recognized the Turk uniform, and as the man halted a few feet from Lucrecia his features became clearer. He was tall, very slim, but he stood disciplined and strong. His short, black hair was… familiar; his skin faintly tanned. But his eyes…

Cid's own popped open wide. The Turk's eyes were a dark red.

"Vincent Valentine reporting for duty, ma'am," the Turk spoke briskly, impassively. It was _Vincent!?_ His voice was different, less deep, younger. It traveled through Cid's veins like a wave of hot ants marching through his system. He couldn't explain how weird it was to witness two versions of the same man in the same place – and yet, they couldn't have been further from each other. Turk Vincent continued. "I've been assigned to your protection."

Cid's eyes spun to find _his_ Vincent watching on with a mixture of expressions, the dominant of which was a dreading hostility toward the illusion. He couldn't look away any more than they all could.

Lucrecia's quiet gasp drew Cid's attention, and she seemed to catch on her words, evidently a surprise reaction for some reason towards the Turk. She murmured something to herself, provoking a questioning response from the illusionary Vincent. Cid was just as confused. The scientist collected herself and adopted a smile, returning to their introductions. Her eyes took on a warm quality.

"Lucrecia Crescent," she introduced herself. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Valentine…"

The scene shimmered and changed once again, leaving Avalanche suspended in a blank nothingness for an uneasy split-second. When form and focus returned, they were back outside towards the front of the town, watching Lucrecia and Turk Vincent walk together through the street. Lucrecia seemed to be speaking of her work, of the science they were conducting at the mansion. Her Turk guard listened with polite interest, his eyes occasionally glancing around sharply, as was his job. But he was clearly listening, smiling softly at her enthusiasm. When the sun caught his eyes they blazed ruby red.

Something ached deep inside him. Cid watched with a sad realization. This Vincent looked happy. He didn't know that very soon, he would be dead.

Almost too soon the scene changed again, but this time the floor didn't reappear, and there were no walls. Only darkness. In the center of it Lucrecia and Vincent stood face to face, hands in hand. But this wasn't a happy scene. Lucrecia was clearly distressed about something, clasping Vincent's hand in a consoling manner, her face twisted with regret and sadness. There was no sound at all, leaving all but one of the team confused. Lucrecia released the Turk's hands and ran away, a tear streaking down her face. She rushed straight at Cid, and before he could grab her, she passed right through him and disappeared. It was an unsettling experience, to say the least.

The past version of Vincent watched her leave. Heartbroken. Cid swallowed.

The glow of a new light originated from behind them all, and as one they turned to watch a new memory. Lucrecia walked willingly into Hojo's open arms. He embraced her and she him, and for once Cid saw what he had never considered Hojo: A person capable of feelings, a man who could appreciate the touch of a lover. This man hadn't done despicable things to Vincent yet, but… was he already planning to?

Avalanche was plunged back into the mansion room. It was dark again, but this time Hojo was sat at the table, and on the opposite side stood Vincent. His eyes looked burgundy in the dim light, and his healthy complexion had been drained by the room.

"Is it true?" He was asking Hojo before the room had even fully appeared.

"Is what true?" Hojo questioned, with the air of someone who knew.

"That Lucrecia – Dr. Crescent – is to take part in this project?"

The sound of heels tapping on the thinly carpeted floor approached. "It's true." Lucrecia appeared, halting by Hojo's side. She wore a stony expression, studying Vincent with the calculation of a scientist. "Why are you so surprised?"

Vincent shifted. "But using your own child – as an _experiment_?"

Cid's mind summersaulted. They were talking about Sephiroth. The man hadn't even been born yet, and they were talking about him. This was the beginnings of the Jenova Project. What had happened to the other man?

Hojo gave a nasty laugh. "I don't know what you are implying, but both of us are scientists. We know what we are doing."

Lucrecia wasn't even looking at the Turk anymore. She had lowered her gaze. Ashamed? Guilty? Cid couldn't stop staring at her. Her demeanor towards her guard was cold, like someone who was trying to put distance between them. Lots of it. She had a wedding ring on her finger, so she and Hojo were already married. But whether or not happily so was another question.

"You are the last person to have any say in this," Hojo admonished. "Now, leave us at once, _boy_."

The Turk didn't move, and Cid was surprised by how easy it was to read the disagreeing stiffness in his stance. "But…"

"But what?" Lucrecia demanded softly. "If you have something to say, say it."

The past Vincent stepped forward. "Are you sure this is what you really want?" He implored her, clearly hoping she would change her mind. He felt strongly against this, he had no business speaking out against it, yet he _was_ doing.

"Am I sure?" Lucrecia echoed. "_Am I sure_? If this only concerns me, then _yes_, I am sure!"

The scene disappeared, thrusting them all into darkness. Cid could see Cloud's glowing blue eyes, but not Vincent's. Mind reeling, he processed what he had just seen. When he could see again, the room was back, but Lucrecia was alone. She strode through them all without a sound, but several feet away she faltered. A look of pain flashed across her face and her eyes glazed. She collapsed to the floor heavily, clutching her stomach as waves of agony overcame her. She must have already been carrying him…

They were in another room quicker than Cid could blink. It was different, no windows, no life. Hojo's back was to them. Cid gave a start as illusionary Vincent stormed through him and up to the scientist.

"Why did you let this happen!" Vincent growled, enraged.

"Silence," Hojo snapped at him, barely casting him a look over his shoulder.

"This experiment is _wrong_!"

"I said silence!" Hojo's teeth were clenched.

"Stop it..." Said another voice.

"It could be killing her and her baby – you need to stop this! It's an abomina –"

"Shut up!" At the same moment Hojo spun around the sound of a sharp gunshot cracked through the air.

Both men glared at each other for a second. Vincent's anger fell away, replaced by cold, dawning shock. A second later he dropped to his knees, blood pouring from the bullet wound in his chest – his heart. He pitched forward and hit the wooden floor. A pool of thick, red liquid grew around him with alarming speed. It took all of a few seconds for him to die.

"Lucrecia, _stop it_."

Cid was startled to register _his_ Vincent's voice. He spun to his left to find the gunman staring at his own dead body in livid horror.

The two figures disappeared into darkness, which quickly gave way to the bright light the team had come to recognize. It blinded them once again. When it was gone, they were back in the cavern, in the dim light of the crystals. Lucrecia stood before them, clutching her white shawl softly and gazing at Vincent with a level of sadness no one could comprehend. For a long time nothing was spoken.

"You're alive…" Vincent broke the silence, his tone gentle, soft, disbelieving.

The ghost – or vision – of Lucrecia blinked and her eyes flickered across Vincent's appearance. She absorbed his clothing, his hair, and then her eyes lingered on his. "Look at you…" she whispered, a terrible grief saturating her words. "You survived. I'm so glad." Her expression shifted minutely, latching on to Vincent's previous words. "I tried to die," her voice echoed. "I couldn't be with anyone after… but the Jenova cells inside of me wouldn't allow it. I'm cursed with everlasting life," she choked out a bitter, sorrowful titter. "Ironic karma…"

Vincent said nothing, but Cid could see the torment on his face. He wanted to reach out for her, he wanted to touch her, but he couldn't.

"Lately…" Lucrecia began, as though she was talking to herself and she had forgotten they were all there. "I've been dreaming a lot, dreaming of my son… My child. Sephiroth…" She shook her head faintly, memories clearly haunting her. "I didn't even get to hold him," she whispered. "Not even once. I can't be called his mother."

Vincent did step forward this time. Listening to her voice break, he couldn't stand it.

"Stay back!" She wouldn't let him near. When she was sure Vincent wasn't going to move again, she lifted her eyes and fixed them on him. "Vincent, won't you please tell me…?"

"What?" He whispered.

"Is Sephiroth still alive?"

Her question echoed around them. How could he answer that? Cid was sure _he_ would just tell her the truth, but would that be too harsh? This woman's mind was as fractured as a shattered mirror, how would she react?

"Somehow, I heard that he had died five years ago, but I see him in my dreams so often…" She held a hand to her heart, bowing her head. "I know he can't die so easily. Like me." She lapsed into silence, thinking about the visions she had of her son. When she looked up again, her eyes were sharper. "Please, tell me."

No one moved. The chamber was soundless, eerie. When it seemed as though Vincent couldn't answer, Cloud stepped forward to offer a reply, but the gunman held out an arm, halting him.

"Lucrecia… Sephiroth is dead."

She stared at him. The expression on her face was torture; she had not wanted to hear that. Lucrecia closed her eyes and bowed her head once again, mourning. A second later she faded from sight, leaving them all standing in uneasy quiet. Vincent's eyes remained on the spot she had vanished, a torrent of thoughts and feelings fighting inside of him.

Cloud turned to the rest and gestured for them to leave. Vincent should have some time alone before they leave. This had been a very unexpected, and somewhat shocking, discovery.

Outside they took up waiting at the edge of the lake, squinting against the bright sun. For a minute no one said anything about what they had just witnessed, casting their eyes out across the water while they sat or stood on the white rocks.

Finally, Barret broke the silence between them. "The Ultimate Weapon sensed _her_? Why?"

"The Jenova cells inside her," Cloud answered, watching the water. "She was able to project illusions just like Sephiroth… I guess her power was easy to sense."

Yuffie shuffled on her seat of rock and frowned at the distant shore opposite. "She's so beautiful. I can't believe she chose _Hojo_ over Vincent. That's like… _wrong_. So wrong. I didn't think Hojo could have loved somebody."

"Maybe he didn't," Barret said, rubbing his gun arm. "Maybe it was all about the science."

"It is sad to hear of Sephiroth's creation," Red confessed slowly, his fire-tipped tail dancing erratically in the wind. "Born of science, rather than love. Raised without a mother and lied to from the beginning. In the end… the truth of his origins is the reason for his undoing."

"Maybe Hojo's madness was a genetic inheritance," Cloud muttered. "All it needed was a little push…"

"It's kinda funny, isn't it," Barret began, following a thought. "The scientists who should have known better wanted to mess with life, but it was their bodyguard who saw the wrong and tried to stop them." He glanced at the cave. "Look what it got him. No wonder he didn't wanna interfere with this one."

"But he does now, right?" Yuffie asked, turning to Cid for confirmation, a thread of uncertainty in her voice. "That's why he came back?"

Cid nodded. "He wants to make right what he couldn't all those years ago."

Barret shook his head. "Idiot," he said softly under his breath (and Shiva help him if Vincent ever heard that). "That ain't his fault, it ain't his _sin_. He should have told that woman she created a monster, and that it was her responsibility for stopping him."

"She's stuck in crystal," Cait reminded him.

"She got herself in there," Barret argued huffily. "It don't sit right: She butchers her kid, she butchers her bodyguard – let's Hojo do whatever the hell he did, and then she locks herself away because she can't die." He turned his brown eyes across them all, like they should be as pissed as he was. "Well _he_ can't die and he's doing something!"

Cid felt a smile slip his control. Barret was wary of Vincent, he always was, but he acknowledges him as one of the team, and for that reason he feels defensive towards the ex-Turk. It was kind of lovable about him.

Barret folded his arm, in much the way a child might against someone he doesn't like. "That kinda person annoys the hell outta me." His lack of sympathy made Cid feel better for how little he felt for the woman.

"But she saved him, remember?" Tifa interjected, blinking softly at Barret as though he shouldn't have forgotten. "When we came across those files Cait read, Hojo said Lucrecia did something to Vincent and saved him."

"She brought him back and Hojo just continued," Barret replied, frowning critically. "If she'd really loved him she'd have let him die."

"Barret!" Yuffie gasped.

"I ain't saying I _wanted_ him to die. I'm just saying he went through a lot and… his mind gave up. Maybe if Hojo let it, his body would have followed."

The team let his words settle uneasily into the air. Cid didn't want to think of Vincent's life during the experiments, but he couldn't stop picturing it, of scenes that caused his heart to constrict. He couldn't stop seeing that short-haired Turk dying on the floor of the mansion, betrayed by the person he had been sent to protect. Cid's blood began to boil. That greasy-haired _bastard_ – if only he was still alive, the pilot would make him wish he'd never even looked at Vincent.

"We should continue."

The team turned around to find Vincent had joined them, his cape fluttering behind him. He had composed his usual, stoic expression, fixing Cloud with a meaningful look. Before anyone could get up, he turned and walked ahead, back towards the _Highwind_.

"Let's go," Cloud told the others.

Cid watched as Vincent pulled away. Would this encounter have changed his mind on _them_? How did he feel now, after seeing the woman he used to love? And just when they had reconnected...

They followed him back to the tether, boarding the airship quickly so they could resume a course for the Weapon. No one said much, recounting a few things they had seen and heard during the illusions. Yuffie was disturbed, having seen their teammate shot and killed. Hearing of it and watching it were two completely different things, and she couldn't get past the shock of it, even if it did happen before half of them were born. Hell, Cid would have only been a few years old.

He deserted his friends to return to his cabin, hoping Vincent might be there. But when he entered his room was empty. Cid sighed, of course he would want his own space, to reflect on everything that had just happened. So Lucrecia wasn't missing, wasn't dead, and she wasn't old. Did Vincent regret his relationship with Cid? Now his old crush was alive and…well, not well, did he want to return to her? Maybe they could heal their fractured souls together, they had much more in common. And damn was she beautiful – how the hell did Vincent fall for a guy like Cid when he used to love someone as graceful as Lucrecia?

Cid sat himself slowly down on his bed and lent forward on his thighs. He didn't like these feelings; insecurity, doubt, disgust at himself. He half wished they had just flown on past the crater, remained blissfully unaware that woman was hidden down there. It just dredged up painful memories for Vincent, threw him back into his past when he was trying so hard to get over the ordeal. And maybe it just put a metaphorical spanner in the works.

Replays of Lucrecia's illusions bombarded his thoughts. He knew they were memories, but the last one – had she witnessed that or was it Vincent's memory? Could she have accessed his? Whatever the truth, Cid watched inside his mind as Turk Vincent escorted the woman around Nibelheim. He had smiled at her, given her a look of admiration and endearment. Would he ever be able to offer those looks again?

As the _Highwind_ ploughed on to meet the Weapon once again, Cid received only one update on its movements. It had relocated even further south of Cosmos Canyon, almost down to Gongaga and had remained there since. Was it recovering from the missiles they had fired at it?

Sometime into the journey, Cid wasn't sure how long, there came a metallic knock on his door. He lifted himself from his bed and glanced at it hopefully, stabbing out his cigarette in an ashtray. When he opened the door, he was surprised to find Barret standing alone, holding a bottle of water and two bread buns.

"I was told to shove one of these in your mouth," the large man said, shaking the bread.

Cid's stomach rumbled at him, reminding him he hadn't eaten in a while. "Told, or volunteered?"

Barret shrugged. "Either way, you're eating it." And he tossed a little bread into the air, forcing Cid to catch it.

"Yer comin' in?" Cid gestured, glancing at the second bun.

"This ain't for me," Barret held it up. "This is for the other guy that don't remember to eat, either." He shoved it and the bottle of water into Cid's hands. "Berto said we'll be approaching the Weapon in about four more hours. Seriously, when we're done saving the world, you gotta build a ship that travels at the speed of sound." He gave a smirk and began to walk away. "Or at least put a damn shooting range or something onboard!" With that, he was gone.

Cid shook his head and looked down at the food in his hands. Barret could have taken the bread to Vincent himself, but he didn't. The pilot glanced down the dim corridor, wondering if it was still too soon to cut into Vincent's isolation. Well, too soon be damned. Cid wanted to see him. He left his cabin and made his way to the gunman's with the bounty in hand. He knocked, four times and waited.

When Vincent finally opened his door, he blinked and stepped aside wordlessly, inviting the pilot inside. He closed the door behind and sat back down on his bed, resting forward on his thighs in the same manner Cid had done earlier. Troubled and pensive.

Cid sighed nasally at his solemnity. He sat himself down on the man's right, sides pressed together, and watched him for a long moment. Vincent's eyes wandered over the floor as he resumed whatever headache-inducing thoughts he had been having.

After a few long seconds ticked by, Cid gripped Vincent's wrist, turned his hand over and slapped the bread bun in his palm. "Courtesy of Barret." He finally tucked into his. It was still slightly warm.

Vincent glanced at him and watched a moment longer before lowering his cape mantle with a claw and taking a slow bite out of his own. They ate in silence.

When he was done, Cid twisted off the bottle cap and washed the bread down with a long gulp of water. He offered it to Vincent, who took it and did the same. The cabin had been too quiet until now for Cid's liking, and now their basic needs had been catered for, he felt it was time to break the silence.

"Yer a better man than I, Vincent Valentine," he declared quietly, planting a comforting hand on the gunman's leg. "I don't think I could have remained as calm as that. If I were in yer shoes."

Vincent said nothing, contemplating more things swimming around in his head.

Cid studied him. "I know it must have been one helluva shock…"

Vincent's eyebrows twitched. "I thought nothing else could surprise me anymore. I was wrong."

The silence returned for a short while before Cid asked carefully: "Is she stuck inside that crystal? Forever?"

"She chose to," the gunman replied distantly.

"…Some closure, huh?" Cid said softly, running his hand absently along Vincent's thigh.

A quick flash of red eyes glanced in his direction. "There won't be any closure until Sephiroth is dead."

Cid felt his comforting, consoling part was letting him down. It just didn't have much experience. But, he guessed it also had something to do with the fact Vincent wasn't receiving it very well either. He didn't know how to take it. What a pair.

"I wish she hadn't showed you those memories."

Cid looked at him; those crimson eyes remain locked on the carpet. But now, the vision of Turk Vincent falling to the floor, blood pouring from his heart, plagued his mind's eye, and that painful clenching in his gut started again. The expression on the Turk's face had been one of pure shock. He wasn't a rookie; that man had been shot before, Cid knew this, but the Turk had known instantly that this was a gunshot he wasn't walking away from. That face would haunt Cid for a long time. He half wished Lucrecia hadn't showed him it either.

He realized his gaze had fallen to the floor, as when he looked back Vincent was watching him.

"I'm sorry you had to see it," the gunman said quietly, knowingly.

Cid blinked. "Don't apologize for that. Don't ever apologize for what happened to yer." He reached out with the hand on his thigh and threaded his fingers through Vincent's hair, pulling him close so he could rest his forehead against the side of the man's face. His goggles pressed into the bandana. "I can't believe she let yer go."

"She loved Hojo…"

Cid closed his eyes. Did she, though?

"As long as she was happy, I didn't mind…"

That was a lie. How much did he have to suffer, watching the woman he loved be with another man? Cid didn't want to imagine. "Yer know what, it's time yer put yerself first."

A soft huff of amusement. "I guess I'm just too old fashioned."

Cid smiled and drew back. "I wouldn't expect anythin' else. Just don't start layin' down yer cape over a puddle of water or some shit like that."

The light in his eyes returned in reaction at his jest, and Cid felt he had accomplished something at last. But it was only then he noticed how tired Vincent looked. When was the last time he slept? Had he not rested during his walk to and from Nibel Mountains?

These thoughts were momentarily pushed aside when Vincent pressed their lips together for a single, lengthy kiss. But of course, Cid couldn't stop with that one. He followed as Vincent's drew away an inch, seeking a second, which turned into a third, and before he knew it there was no counting, just a hot flurry of nudges and nips that somehow led them to fall backwards onto the bed. Vincent's part became hungrier, and he seemed oblivious to their positions. Cid's eyes fluttered open occasionally, catching the odd detail; Vincent's feathered lashes, his long hair sprawled across the pillow, the bottle of water discarded in the sheets beside. Hands roamed under the jacket of the cape, cradling Vincent's sides, running down over the belts to his waist. The leather was a barrier, but for now the freedom of such a touch was a privilege, and Vincent wasn't recoiling from it. His own hand had trailed down Cid's arm, feeling the contours of the muscles there.

The pilot wondered if this was Vincent's coping mechanism, if this was the form of comfort he could accept from Cid. Was he just trying to forget his worries? Would he regret this later?

Whatever the reason, Cid's pondering was halted a second later. Vincent's eyes peaked open and he stopped. More accurately, he froze, and Cid respectfully pulled away slightly, remembering the man's aversion to people looming over him.

"You okay?" Cid asked, suspecting the answer anyway.

Vincent inhaled slowly, sitting up as he did and closing his eyes. He sat back on his left hand and ran the other over his face. "Yeah."

Cid sat up beside him, trying to control his thumping heartbeat and the warm burning through his veins. "Don't lie," he chided softly. He picked at the length of messy black hair, straightening it back into a neater form.

"I guess I have more demons than the physical ones."

"Not surprising," Cid told him plainly. "But yer'll conquer 'em. I've no doubt of that."

His frankness brought a different expression to Vincent's face. "You have more faith than I."

"No, remember? Optimism." Cid grinned.

Vincent's lip twitched. He leaned forward and they shared another, last kiss. It lingered, caring and chaste.

"We've got a few hours before we reach Ultimate Weapon," Cid told him, still fingering his hair. "Get some rest. Yer look like yer need it."

Vincent shook his head slightly. "I can't sleep."

"Try."

Vincent blinked wearily. "No, I…" He didn't finish his sentence, choosing to abort whatever he was going to say. He shook his head again.

"We could use the rest," Cid pressed, raking his fingers from the crown of Vincent's head slowly down the length of hair. It felt really good between his fingers, like – Gods forgive his comparison – petting a chocobo with silky feathers. "We'll be goin' against a Weapon soon. Rather not be sloppy." He didn't refer to whom being sloppy.

Vincent's eyes had closed. "Valid point," he murmured.

Cid watched him for a minute. His ministrations were lulling the man to sleep anyway. "Lay back."

Red eyed opened a sliver and looked at Cid. "I don't think you should stay." His gaze flickered to the claw marks in the bed board behind the pilot.

Cid followed his focus. It occurred to him that might have been one of the reasons Vincent slept so far from him last time. He didn't want to hurt him. "I'll take the risk."

"Cid."

"What if someone being near helps?" Cid asked, stilling his hand. "C'mon." And as a reassurance, he added, "we've now got a high-level cure materia if yer worried." He lay down and nestled his head into the pillow, closing his eyes.

For a long time Vincent didn't move or say anything, but eventually he carefully stretched back, resting himself beside Cid. He kept a gap between them, placed his right hand on his belly and dug his gauntlet away under his pillow.

"Last time I checked it was still a weak-level materia."

Cid kept his eyes closed. "It was until yer transformation fortified it."

Silence, then, "hm."

They said nothing more.

/

**AN**: I wanted Lucrecia to already be in the crystal because I can't believe for a second she sat in that cave for nearly thirty years just twiddling her thumbs, waiting. And truthfully, I'm not sure where she heard rumor that Sephiroth had died if she never left the cave, so it made me wonder whether or not she did actually stay in there all that time. Unless someone else visited her. Curious, no?


End file.
